City Boy
by BlueFrenchHorn97
Summary: Link Faron is uprooted from his happy suburban life and dragged against his will to the countryside, all so the new baby on the way can grow up somewhere 'better'. He hates it here and isn't afraid to let people know… but can two blond twins and their crazy friends coax him out of his shell? Modern Hyrule, the Legend of Zelda belongs to Nintendo, Zelink, Shidna, and Daria.
1. Saying Goodbye

**So here we are guys, with my very first twenty chapter story! I'm very excited about this and I really hope you'll all enjoy it!**

**Thank you very much to Gwendybee of DeviantArt who drew the cover art! You can find the original here h-t-t-p-:/-gwendybee.-deviantart-.-c-o-m-/art/Reunited-322615814 (Remove -)**

**Thank you to Princess Zelda-figure skater for beta reading!**

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"Link Faron! Stop being such a child and get down here now!"

"I've told you a thousand times dad, I'm not going and that's final!"

I sigh, crossing my arms pointedly and putting on my best face of determination. It's unfair; I swear to Hylia that it should be against my human rights. He shouldn't be able to force me to leave my home like this. I wouldn't even have cared if I were only moving a few streets away; I could have handled even going to the other side of town. But to drag me away from everything I know, to move me to the middle of nowhere in the back of beyond is completely, utterly, unfair.

It's all mum's fault anyway, ever since she found out she was pregnant with her third child, she went crazy. She started to talk all about the good life, owning a farm, living off the land, just like she always wanted as a girl. At first dad reacted like me, laughed it off and told her she could always dream, but before long dad jumped right on that train to crazy town along with her. Aryll of course, had no clue what was going on. She's my little sister, and I love her to pieces, but she's six, she's too young to have a serious opinion in the matter. When she's a teenager who can't see her friends when she wants, when she can't get the bus because they don't go to the sticks, she'll see how awful an idea this is.

But of course, my parents didn't listen to a word I said. I told them it was a terrible idea, argued and argued and argued. But it got me absolutely nowhere. They told me I was too young to understand, that one day I'll thank them. I'm pretty sure I won't. I hated them for doing this, I still do. I can't believe they'd be so inconsiderate just to pick me up and operate my life like this. This city is all I've ever known, I was born and raised in Castle Town, and to just suddenly pull the rug out from under my feet is inhumane.

Suddenly I'm distracted from my thought patterns by my bedroom door being thrown open. It smacks against the plain white walls, dotted with pinholes and stubborn blue tack from where I used to hang all my sketches. My little sister Aryll appears in the doorway, holding the door handle with one pale arm, smiling at me with that sweet little mouth of hers. She's dressed in her blue sundress; she wears a deep blue cardigan over the top and sighs at me, making her curly little ponytails bob over her shoulders.

"Daddy says if you don't come downstairs he's coming up here and dragging you down himself."

I blow a loud raspberry, sitting tight where I am.

"Let him try." I smirk.

Aryll lets out another sigh, coming over and sitting down cross legged in front me. She pouts a little, taking one of my hands and giving me a pleading look. "Link, please!" She whines, "Living in the countryside will be so much fun! We can have pigs and cuckoos and sheeps and cows and-"

"Aryll!" I cut her off, holding out one hand and watching as she gives me a sad look with those big blue eyes of hers, just like my own. I sigh, "Look as cute as you like, I'm still not coming!"

"Fiiiiine…" she moans, climbing to her feet and running from my room. I listen as I hear her little brown leather sandals padding on the staircase as she calls "Daddy! He says he's not coming…"

I shuffle forward a little, not moving from my sitting position. I reach out one foot, still only wearing my socks, and kick my bedroom door shut with a satisfying slam. I shuffle back to my previous position, lying back and putting my hands underneath my head. I let out a heavy sigh as I stare up at the ceiling, casting my mind back over all the memories this little bedroom gave me. It was my nursery when I was a baby… I'm the oldest child, meaning that I get the biggest bedroom. I used to have a crib underneath the window and a big mobile with a silver moon and stars. Dad had blue tacked a collection of those white glow in the dark plastic stars to my ceiling and apparently as a baby, I used to love it.

When I started primary school we redecorated my room, dad helped me to paint pictures of lots of jungle animals on the wall because I used to have an obsession with the film 'The Jungle Book'. I'd watch it every weekend after Sunday dinner. We painted bears and lions and tigers and monkeys all over my room. I had a huge collection of stuffed animals and I used to cuddle them all at night. My favourite was always a small toy bird. It was bright red and was made of lovely soft materials. Mum used to tell me bedtime stories about the Goddess' Chosen Hero, who apparently had a giant bird like my toy that he used to fly on. It was called his Loftwing… I guess that's why I used to love that toy so much.

As I started growing up I decided that animals, soft toys and 'The Jungle Book' were no longer cool. So for my thirteenth birthday, I asked to redecorate my room again. I painted one wall a deep forest-green colour, because it was supposedly the colour of the Hero's tunic, though I told everyone I just liked the colour… I painted all the other walls a neutral stony colour and ripped up all my grassy carpet and replaced it with hardwood flooring and a striped rug. I began to de-clutter my room and threw away my copy of 'The Jungle Book', my old stuffed toys, and even my red Loftwing. He was always there if I was having a bad day… and I kind of wish I had him right now…

I sit up, curling into a small ball, hugging my legs and resting my chin on my knees. I'll really miss this old bedroom; I've had so many memories in this little slice of my life. Crawling across the floor playing with my stuffed animals, Aryll stealing all my power rangers and making them be her dolly's husbands, they married in the corner underneath the shelf. I remember getting my first TV in here and spending all day sat on my bed playing video games on my Nintendo. I glance over to my little wooden desk, where I spent many a sunny afternoon sketching and doodling and drawing in my sketchbooks. I drew pictures of all the jungle animals, I drew mum and dad and Aryll, city-scapes and pictures of the Legendary Hero and her Grace Hylia, flying on their Loftwings and battling the Demon Lord.

The bedroom door is thrown open again and mum makes her way in, resting one hand on her rather large baby bump underneath her pink geometric print top. She puts her other hand on her hip, giving me her sternest look.

"Link, how long do you plan to continue playing up like this?"

I sigh, turning to look at her. She bears the same cerulean blue eyes and blond hair as me, but he has slightly paler skin than I, much like Aryll.

"Mum, it's not fair! You can't force me to move… this city means so much to me!" I say.

She shakes her head slowly, closing her eyes and gently stroking her baby bump "You'll love Lon Lon Ranch as much as you love Castle Town, and besides… it's what's better for your new little brother or sister!"

"But mum, I-"

"Five minutes, Link!" She says, cutting me off as she holds up one hand, displaying five fingers. And with that, she turns heel and walks away, leaving my bedroom door wide open.

I sigh, reluctantly getting to my feet as I begin to pace around the room, running my fingers along the cold smooth walls, trying to capture the essence of the room before I leave, never to see it again. I come to a stop by the window, glancing down at the city street below me. Yellow taxis zoom past, only to be stalled later by the red traffic lights. Pedestrians hurry around the streets, holding shopping bags, brief cases or backpacks. I sigh… busy streets and busy lives, that's one thing I always loved about the city, I could be anonymous, I could hide amongst the chaotic streets. In the countryside… that won't be an option.

I pull myself away from the window, turning and stooping down to pick up my small travel bag, the only thing left in this now empty room. As I walk slowly towards the door, the floorboards creak beneath my weight. I reach the white painted wooden poor, and I carefully push the light switch, turning off the ceiling light. The room is instantly plunged into shadow as I let out a deep sigh, taking one last look at my childhood room.

"Goodbye old friend…"

And with that, I carefully step out of the room, closing the door behind me with an audible click. The dusty pink carpet is soft beneath my feet as I pad down the staircase in my slightly dirtied white socks. Dad, mum, and Aryll are all waiting in the hall, where they stand between the last few boxes. Removal men are dashing in and out of the house, picking up the last few boxes labelled "Living Room" and running out of the door with them. Dad gives my shoulder a comforting stroke as I reach the bottom of the stairs.

"It's alright son," he says. "I know you'll miss this place, but you'll learn to love Lon Lon, just you wait and see!"

"Doubt it…" I mutter under my breath as he turns towards the door, tugging on the sleeves of his slightly-too-big orange and brown striped jumper. He then hitches his glasses a little further up his nose, his deep black hair slightly messy from the wind outside as he picks up another box, handing it to a removal man.

I sit myself down on the bottom step of the staircase, rummaging through my travel bag until I find my coat and pair of black converse trainers. All along the canvas I've doodled with tipex pen, drawing things from the legends like the triforce and the Goddess crest… I like to think of it as personalising my shoes. Mum gives me one of her looks, she's never really approved of my customized footwear, but she lets it slide given the circumstance.

Once I'm all finished, I pick up my travel bag and hitch it up onto my shoulders, throwing my hands deep into the pockets of my coat as I approach the front door. The wind instantly hits me the second I step outside, blowing my blond hair into my eyes. I watch from the front porch as dad locks the door, and then carefully puts the keys into a brown envelope, which he then hands to the estate agent who's waiting for us. She shakes mum and dads hands and carefully slips Aryll and little chocolate in a wrapper when mum's back is turned. She wishes us all the best in our new home, then climbs back into her shiny black car and zooms away.

I stare up at the large removal van in silence. All our stuff is stacked right up to the very top of the van, everything from my TV to mum's Lanayru cactus. It all piles picariously as one of the removal men jumps up, gripping the handle of the pull-down door. Wrenching hard and dropping the white paneling over the back of the van, locking my whole life away inside.

"Link, are you ready to go?" Dad asks.

I turn quickly, looking at our red family car. Mum is already sat in the front seat, a little squashed, adjusting the radio. Aryll sits in the back, happily singing the wrong lyrics to a pop song blaring from the car, as dad stands behind his open door, watching me with a hopeful smile.

I don't give him a reply, because honestly, I'm not ready. Instead, I simply approach the car in silence, pulling open the back left hand door and settling down in the seat next to Aryll as I dump my travel bag in the foot well. She gives me a big grin, showing the gap in her front teeth as she does. I sigh, rummaging through my pocket and pulling out my iPod. I quickly plug in the ear buds, drowning out my family with some music as I turn and stare out of the window…

This is going to be a long journey.


	2. Journey to Lon Lon

**Aww you guys! Your reviews put a big smile on my face! :) Huge thank you to ShadowNinja1011, cormonde, Christmasloot, prettyguardianofhyrule, Bleachshowlover1, Not-Alone-Anymore, PrincesscharmingKnight, CreaCra, Hanyoualchemist1, TheMysteriousDude, Neez, and Franne!**

**Thank you to Princess Zelda-figure skater for beta reading!**

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"Punch buggy yellow!" Aryll squeals, clenching her tiny hand into a fist and gently thumping my arm.

I turn to her, giving her a sarcastic look, "Punch buggy shut up!"

She pouts a little, putting on her best innocent face but I just poke my tongue out at her.

Dad glances at me in the wing mirror of the car, sighing. "Link you're fifteen, you're too old to be acting like a child."

"Yet I'm not old enough to have a say in where I live?" I retaliate, cocking my head to the side daringly.

Dad doesn't say anything in reply, just lets out a heavy sigh as he grips the steering wheel tighter. I turn away from the tiresome car scene, staring out of the small glass window. Just a few of hours ago I was admiring the Castle in that proud city, possibly for the last time in a long while. I saw snotty business men in their suits and ties, briefcases clutched in their chubby hands and rich mothers wheeling designer strollers without a care for their screaming child. I saw tourists in 'I heart CT!' T-shirts and people dancing and busking on the street corners, hoping for some extra change. Those things weren't unusual to see, not in the city. Heck, I was used to seeing them on a daily basis as I got the subway to school.

Yet the majestic city buildings of the central business district, the bustling squares and designer boutiques with extortionate prices fizzled out slowly. I watched as the streets became a little less crowded and a little more bland. The dancers on the street corners turned into groups of pre-teen boys with baseball caps and hoodies, sipping cans of discounted, mock-brand beers and clutching crumpled cigarettes between two fingers. The designer boutiques turned into lines and lines of identical housing estates with tiny paved gardens, and a few wilting flowers in the beds. The hub-bub of the city turned into the lazy, disjointed, almost disgruntled suburban outskirts, where corner shop doors are barred and children don't play in the parks.

Then the towns came an hour or so later. In towns, hedges began to look a little neater, grass was cut reasonably regularly, and parents weren't afraid to let their children go play on their own. Young couples and flocks of school children lined the sidewalks. A few pubs appeared between the housing estates, the schools didn't look so run down or disregarded, and every now and then you'd even see a church or town hall. The gardens were still small, there were still disjointed youths to be found on street corners, but it was better than the overcrowded suburban city streets.

But soon, all signs of busy, frequent lives faded as we left the towns far behind us, moving on through a collection of small villages whose names I can't seem to recall. These villages seemed small, remote, and peaceful. Occasionally you'd see someone in big green wellie boots and a raincoat walking their dog, you'd sometimes see an elderly lady visiting the post office to pick up her morning paper, or a handful of bright young children out hunting for toads in the river. But overall, the villages were tiny, with only a scattering of houses, and a pub or shop here and there.

And here I am now, twisting through the meanders of a long thin road, passing through a village whose name eludes me. Houses border the road, with quirky names like 'Apple Tree Cottage' or 'Honeysuckle House' printed on handmade signs hanging on their front gates. A young girl rides past me on a large golden horse, her hair pulled back into plaits. Dad carefully slows down, allowing her to pass.

"Are we nearly there yet?" Aryll whines, resting her little head in her hands.

"About an hour left, sweetheart," Dad replies, giving her a quick smile in the wing mirror.

Mum lets out a deep sigh. "Is there anywhere we can stop, darling?" She asks, carefully rubbing her swollen stomach, "I really need to use a bathroom."

"Again?" I scowl, "You used one like fifteen minutes ago…"

Mum raises her eyebrows as she awkwardly turns to look at me, "Link, I have a baby sat, squashing my bladder!"

"Thanks for the lovely mental picture…" I mutter, my words practically dripping with sarcasm.

Mum sighs. "I'll pretend I didn't hear that, Link… Oh! Look! A cream teas event… perfect! Pull over darling," She says, gently tapping dads leg as she points to the village hall, a large fold out sign stands outside reading 'Cream Teas: Sunday 3-5'

"Cream Teas?" I ask, as dad flicks the indicator on and pulls into the tiny car park. "They actually hold a cream tea event in this backwards village?"

"Look, Link," Mum says, "We're all sick of being stuck in this car all day, and I know you're not happy about moving houses, but could you please go for just five minutes without moaning?"

I pull a face as she turns her back, climbing out of the car. I follow, carefully clambering out and slamming the door behind me. My joints are stiff from being cramped up in that small seat for hours on end, so I gently begin stretching out my arms as we all walk towards the entrance to the little village hall.

As soon as I enter I'm greeted by a little village gathering. Tables are set out around the room with colourful printed table cloths. Various village folk sit around, sipping cups of cream tea and nibbling little slices of cake as their children drink fruit juice from small cartons. Cheesy jazz music is playing through a tiny CD player in one corner, and patchwork bunting is spread all around the room. I watch in silence as children run around playing tag, while three ladies stand in the miniature, second rate kitchen serving hot drinks and cake to people at ridiculously cheap prices.

Dad, mum, and Aryll set out straight for the little serving hatch where everything is laid out. Aryll is hanging off dads hand and asking him if she can have the biggest piece of chocolate cake while mum greets a woman behind the serving hatch.

"So, are you new to the village?" One lady asks mum as I approach. She wears thin rimmed silver spectacles and a pale pink shirt with a floral print skirt. I'm trying my best not to laugh at the text-book village cliché of an outfit.

"Oh no!" Mum replies, handing her some money, "We're moving to Lon Lon farm about an hour from here, we were passing through and saw your sign outside and just thought we'd drop in!"

"Well that's lovely!" The elderly lady says, laying down the cups of tea on mum's tray. "And I can see you're expecting a little one soon! Is it a boy or a girl?"

"We don't know yet," Dad says, picking up a piece of the chocolate cake for Aryll, "We're waiting till the due date to find out."

"Best way to do it," The elderly lady says, giving them a friendly smile.

Dad turns, looking at me as mum pays for Aryll's cake. "Do you want anything Link?" He asks.

"I'm fine…" I mutter. What is wrong with this woman? She's so nosy… this sort of thing would never happen in the city. People at home keep themselves to themselves, and frankly, that's the way I like it.

"Oh, well look at you!" The elderly lady behind the serving hatch says, giving me a big smile, "Aren't you a big strong boy! It's a shame there's not more like you in this village, we need people like you to work on the farms!"

I sigh, nodding politely at her as mum and dad say their goodbyes, heading over towards a table to settle down and drink their drinks. I sit on the end of the table with my arms crossed.

Though I'm not about to tell my parents, what that elderly lady just said really bugs me. I get it, I keep in shape, but that doesn't mean I want to spend my life doing manual labour. My passion has always been for art, ever since I was a kid in kindergarten, picking up a stubby crayon to scribble my very first picture. I used to draw endless family portraits in kindergarten, and when I tired of that, I started creating my own characters, drawing people that I made up in my head. As I grew older I started to develop more technique and style, being able to put more expression into those childish doodles. I began to expand, trying sketching and shading, watercolours, pastels, and ink. I filled book after book with pictures, slowly developing the way I worked. I began to push myself from my comfort zone, no longer just working in my bedroom, but taking a pad everywhere I went, so any time inspiration stuck I could get to work.

As soon as I joined high school I spent every lunchtime locking myself away in the art room, experimenting with three-dimensional models and collages. It started off as a way for me to hide from the school bullies, the thick skulled thugs who'd roam the corridors and pick fights with kids like me for no reason. Nevertheless, my art teacher soon got used to me being there, and found ways to help me. She'd sometimes set up a stimulus for me to work off, or occasionally she's turn out all the lights and experiment with dark and shadow. She really helped me to develop the way I worked. I must have used up a small forest in paper trying to express myself, finding inspiration in the layout of the stars, the heroes of legend, and the bustling city streets. I have so much to say, so much I want to express, and I just can't whittle my life away doing something like farming… it's not something I could do.

* * *

"Link!? Link! Are you listening to me?" Dad says, his voice raised a little as he glances at me in the wing mirror.

"Hmm?" I reply, pulling out one ear bud and turning down my iPod a little.

He sighs, rolling his eyes. "As I was saying: the house on the farm isn't quite ready yet, so we'll be staying in the local B&B for a few weeks until we get the house fully sorted."

"What?!" I exclaim, stopping the music altogether, "Why didn't you tell me this sooner?"

Mum laughs, "Honestly Link, we didn't think you'd care all that much!"

"Thanks! Thanks a lot!" I exclaim sarcastically, raising my hands in exasperation.

Mum smiles, "Don't worry, honey! You'll love it at the B&B, it's only a five minute walk from our farm, and the family who own it have two children your age!"

"Fantastic!" I spit. "They're probably stuck up snotty village kids that don't even know what Hyrule Castle looks like…"

"Link!" Mum warns.

"It's true!" I reply.

I watch out of the window in silence as I read the sign that says 'Welcome to Lon Lon, home of the world famous Lon Lon milk!'

I roll my eyes at the crippling cliché. I can't believe I'm really here… all the talk, all the anger and refusal, I guess I was just trying to distract myself from the fact that it's really happening. Yet now as we trundle along the thin country roads, there's no way I can deny it anymore. Dad turns, pulling the car into a long thin gravelled driveway, leading up towards a large country house. We come to a halt just in front of the wooden fence bordering the back garden. I gingerly climb out of the car, taking in my surroundings.

A picture perfect postcard countryside house stands in front of me. The walls are made of soft brown stone, set around small steel framed windows. Ivy climbs up from the very bottom of the house, winding up the stonework, around the windows, right up to where it touches the thatched roof. I look down a little, spotting the shelves lined up outside, with pair after pair of walking boots stacked up on them. I turn, studying the other side of me. A low gate stands in front of me, about up to my chest, but wide enough to let large farm vehicles through. On the other side of the fence, a herd of black and white cows are grazing, mooing contentedly in the warm sun. The smell is a little displeasing… but I suppose if you're going on a countryside holiday, it's kind of what you're signing up for.

There's a small rattling noise behind me, and the front door of the large house is pulled open, and a friendly looking lady with long blonde hair steps out, drying her hands on tea towel. She gives my parents a warm smile as a large Border Collie bounds out from the house, running past her and jumping up at me, licking my face with its long sand paper tongue.

"Get off, stupid dog!" I growl, shooing it away and watching as it runs over to Aryll, receiving lots of fuss from her. I pull my sleeve over my hand, wiping the remnants of the dog's saliva from my face.

"Don't mind her," The lady says, "She's just a tad excitable. Come on Jess, come here girl!"

Jess obediently turns, running back to her mistress, tail wagging as she goes. She comes to a stop beside her, sitting herself down next to her owner.

The lady gives us another bright smile. "Hi, I'm Mrs Harkinian and my family own the B&B! Can I take your bags?"


	3. Twins

**Here we are! Chapter three, and finally ready to meet the blond twins you've all been so eager to hear from! Just as a little message, I did have a reviewer asking me about more frequent updates... I do have to apologise for chapter two not going up for a week! I've been performing a musical over this last week and it's been taking up all my time! Plus it took a while to hear back from my beta who has also been super busy! Regardless, show's over now and updates should be regular :) Just so you know, it has always been my policy, ever since I first started writing Zelda, that I post a new chapter at LEAST once a week! So you'll never have to wait that long :)**

**Anyway! Big thank you for the reviews FROM TheMysteriousDude, iranda20, CreCra, ShadowNinja1011, SxDsX, Hanyoualchemist1, Christmasloot, prettyguardianofhyrule, Bleachshowlover1, tyfive, Neez, Franne, Not-Alone-Anymore, PrincesscharmingKnight, Zelink4eva123, and Azulhada**

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_**Zelda's POV:**_

"Sheik, be careful!" I sigh as he clatters the crockery together in the washing up bowl.

"Relax, it's fine!" He says half-heartedly as he rinses soap suds from one of the bowls.

"Your sister's right, Sheik!" Mum says, as she makes her way towards the door of the kitchen, carrying a tray with four plates of scrambled eggs with little pieces of smoked salmon in them, it's one of mum's best dishes.

The door slowly closes behind her as I take the bowl from Sheik, carefully drying it with a tea towel. I sit on the countertops beside the sink, looking around at the kitchen of our B&B. Pots and pans of varying shapes and sizes hang above the counters surrounding the room, ready for cooking whatever breakfast concoction people request. Mismatched mugs are hanging from mug trees by the window, and a calendar hangs by the stable-style door with the dates that the rooms are in use marked in a variety of colours.

Sheik carefully passes me another plate to dry as he starts working on all the stainless steel knives and forks. I quickly wipe it dry as I smile at all the photo's hanging on the fridge. There's pictures of me and Sheik when we were little, playing in a kiddie pool in the garden in the summer, building snowmen in the winter, even a few pictures of us pretending to drive the tractors from the farm next door. Alphabet magnets are spread around the fridge from when my little sister Tetra learned to spell. Mum's grocery list is pinned up by the word 'Shopping', and Tetra's scribbled family portrait hangs with the words 'My Family'.

Suddenly I'm dragged back to the real world when I feel something warm splash over me. I gasp in shock, turning to see Sheik laughing as he splashes dirty washing up water at me.

"Eww, Sheik!" I exclaim, holding my hands out in front of me to try and protect myself, "That's gross!"

Yet he still won't stop. I laugh, jumping down from the side and holding my towel out in front of me. I begin wringing it into a tight rope, before flicking my wrist, letting the towel whip at his stomach as he laughs, jumping away. Giggles escape from me as I continue, whipping his stomach with the towel until he eventually shouts, "Ok! I surrender! You win!"

I smirk, dropping the tea towel back onto the side and crossing my arms victoriously. "You should really show me more respect Sheik, after all, I am older than you!"

He rolls his eyes. "By four minutes!"

"And don't you forget it!" I quip.

He grins as we get to work cleaning up from the mess we just made. While we're working, our little sister Tetra comes into the room, her blonde curly hair bobbing around her shoulders as she plops herself onto her kitchen stool.

"Mum says you two are being too noisy!"

I laugh light heartedly, "Sorry Tetra."

Sheik gleefully smirks again. "Yeah, it's all Zelda's fault anyway!" He quips, pinching my arm as he empties the washing up bowl.

"You started it!" I reply as we give each other our secret smiles.

Me and Sheik are twins, and have been inseparable since pretty much birth. Mum and dad are always telling us stories of how we had to do everything at the same time when we were babies. Like how we refused to have our bottles unless the other one was doing it too. They always tell us how when we were very little, we had our own little language. We would chat away to each other, even in the middle of a night, speaking in a language that was indecipherable to anyone else. As we grew into toddlers, they tried to split us up and make us sleep in separate rooms, but apparently, we wouldn't sleep without each other.

They thought that when we got to primary school, we'd make new friends and grow apart from each other. And though it's true we made new friends, we never stopped being each other's best friends. I remember once, in year three, the school bully Groose stole my lunch money so Sheik punctured his basketball and ended up having to spend every lunchtime inside that week. Eventually mum and dad made us sleep in separate rooms when we were seven, but whenever I had a bad dream, Sheik would sneak into my room and we'd sit together eating jam sandwiches until we both feel asleep on my bedroom floor.

When we became teenagers, Sheik started to become dirty minded. Whenever people asked how we knew each other, he'd say: "She spent nine months with her legs wrapped around my neck," leaving me to explain that we're in fact, twins. Our parents were sure that as teenagers, we'd start having a strong dislike for each other, but it never happened. We made new friends, like Midna, Saria, and Dark, who we would spend most of our days with at school, but we were still just as close as we always had been. When mum offered to pay us a little to do some chores around the B&B, we'd work together, because we knew we could do it far quicker that way. When Groose started making jokes about my reading glasses, Sheik took it upon himself to dump a plate of macaroni and cheese in Groose's face, resulting in a three day suspension.

Truth is, Sheik and I don't have all that much in common really. If he wasn't my twin brother, I'd probably just disregard him as dumb blond jock. He's not the smartest guy in the world, and sometimes his dirty mindedness gets on my nerves, but underneath all that, he's a really sweet guy. We don't even really look that much alike, he's got the same blond hair as me, we both inherited that from our mum, but that's as far as the similarities go. I've got dads indigo-blue eyes, whereas Sheik inherited mum's blood red ones. We're not even really the same race, mum's a Sheikah and Dad's a Hylian, and Sheik somehow got most of mum's genes and I got most of dads. We're both part Sheikah, part Hylian, but I'm just a little more Hylian than Sheikah. Sheik's also a lot more muscular than I am, but that's because he works out a lot, something that I just don't have the drive to make myself do.

Regardless of all this, we've always been there for each other. Honestly, it tends to be more Sheik looking out for me than me for Sheik, but that's because no one dares to mess with him. Truth be told, I think that's why I don't get treated as badly as some other kids at my school, people know that if I end up getting upset, Sheik will get his own back. And honestly, I'm so thankful to him for everything he does for me, I just wish he wouldn't get himself into trouble in the process of doing it.

* * *

I lie back on my bed, my hair spreading out around my head as I cross my legs in the air.

"So," Midna says, her voice crackling a little through the phone, "Are you going to come round my house this weekend, or not?"

I sigh. "I'm sorry Middie! You know I'd love to, but my parents are really swamped at the B&B and they kind of need my help…"

"So… Is Sheik coming?" She asks, "You know, otherwise Dark's the only guy!"

I close my eyes, slapping my palm into my forehead as I sigh again. "I said my parents are swamped! That means they'll need Sheik's help too!"

She scoffs, "Fine, but don't blame me if Dark feels awkward!"

I roll my eyes, "Puh-lease! He won't feel awkward! As long as Saria's around he's happy!"

She giggles. "I guess you're right! Oh well… so, I'll see you on Monday then?"

"Sure!" I reply, pulling the phone away and ending the call.

I love Midna to pieces; she was one of the first people I ever got properly close to apart from Sheik. She was the first friend I ever really had who was a girl. She introduced me to all kinds of new music, we'd go up to her room and lock ourselves away, listening to her iPod together and singing along. We baked endless batches of cakes and chocolate chip cookies together in her kitchen and played pranks on her older brother Zant. I remember on one occasion we taped party poppers to his door, so as soon as he opened it, there was massive banging noises and he ended up falling over backwards. Sheik got on great with Midna too, and he made new friends in Dark and Saria. Before long, we would all hang around school as just the five of us. It was sort of cool, to feel like I finally belonged somewhere, to have friends who actually cared about me.

Suddenly, my bedroom door is thrown open and I'm pulled from my thoughts. Dad pokes his head around the door, his mobile phone in hand, looking a little flustered.

I frown. "Is everything ok, dad?"

"We've just had a call from a family called the Farons. They're moving to the area, and need a place to stay until their house is fixed up. So we've got them two rooms here, could you go and make up rooms six and seven for me, sweetheart?"

"Of course!" I reply, dropping my phone onto the bed and clambering to my feet. We're used to last minute bookings here. People aren't always so organised, but it's easy enough just to make up the bed and quickly dust the room, as long as we've got the space available. Dad nods his thanks and turns away, strolling down the stairs and he scribbles in his pocket notebook. I wander from my room down the long carpeted corridors. Honestly, we live in a very big house. There are twenty rooms in here in total, but we're not super rich. We inherited the house from my grandmother on my dad's side when she passed away. And we decided that the best way to use the house, and still have enough money to pay its large bills, would be to rent out its rooms as a bed and breakfast hotel. Truth be told, dad always wanted to buy the farm next door, but we never got together the funds. We had a lot of money from my grandmother when she died, but at that time the farm wasn't up for sale. So we spent the money renovating this old house and making it all up to scratch for customer use.

I reach the linen closet, carefully pulling open the slated wooden door, grabbing a pile of clean sheets and a feather duster, which are still warm from sitting next to the boiler all day. I smile at some customers just leaving their room and heading out, presumably swimming from the goggles their young son wears on his head. I wander into room six, carefully unfolding the sheet and begging to fix it around the mattress when Sheik appears in the doorway, giving me a warm smile.

"Hey Zellie," He says, "Need a hand?"

I turn to him, brushing my long blonde hair behind one ear as I laugh. "Sure! Why not? You take those corners and I'll handle these ones."

He saunters on over, his blue and white trainers slightly scuffed at the corners from six months of wear and tear.

He frowns as he grabs the corners. "Why are you making up this room? I thought it wasn't in use until next week?"

"Dad said we've got a last minute booking coming in, some family called the Farons or something…" I mutter as I pull the sheet taught. I sigh, turning and picking up the duvet, shaking it out.

That's when a large rumbling noise erupts from outside the window. Sheik turns immediately, brushing his unruly hair back from his eyes as he wanders towards the window. He carefully throws it open, sticking his head and shoulders out to look at what's happening.

"Well?" I ask, as I slip the pillows into their cases. "What's going on?"

"Looks like the Farons are here!" He replies, ducking his head back in and giving me a grin, "Come see! I think their son looks about our age."

I lie the pillows down in the right place on the bed, before slowly walking up to the window. Sheik shuffles over to make room for me to stick my head out too. The view below is clear to see. A bright red family car is parked just in front of the house, and a family of four are stood around it. I carefully study them all, a tall man dressed in a brown stripy jumper with dark hair and glasses greets my mum. His arm is wrapped around a woman, presumably his wife, who appears to be heavily pregnant. A little girl is knelt on the floor fussing over our pet dog Jess, but the thing that really catches my eyes is their son. He leans up against the car, arms crossed protectively over his chest, a scowl embedded in his face. I study his clothes, he wears a pair of jeans, ripped and frayed at the bottom, obviously frequently worn. His jacket is a dirty green colour, with deep pockets, and on his feet he wears a pair of converses, tattooed with tipex pen. I smile, even from up here, I'd recognise that triforce design anywhere. He brushes his long dark blonde hair back from his face, making his bright azure eyes easier to see.

Well he looks interesting…


	4. New Foes

**Wow... we're nearly at 50 reviews already? You are seriously the best, the very height of awesome! Thank you to CreCra, dbzgtfan2004, Bleachshowlover1, Mrperson01, Not-Alone-Anymore, TheMysteriousDude, Hanyoualchemist1, Christmasloot, PrincesscharmingKnight, iranda20, Franne, ShadowNinja1011, prettyguardianofhyrule, shhimaninja16, Joyma, Neez, Azulhada, and Blaze!**

**Thank you to Princess Zelda-figure skater for beta reading!**

* * *

**_Link's POV:_**

"We're very pleased to have you staying with us," Mrs Harkinian says, stepping into her house and holding the front door open for us. "In fact we've got three children of our own, and they're a similar age to you!" She turns to me, a bright smile on her face. "How old are you?" She asks.

I smirk a little at her patronising tone and dad makes his way in, carefully closing the front door. He rests one hand on my back just between my shoulder blades.

"He's fifteen." Dad says, as I wriggle as squirm until he moves his hand away.

"That's brilliant!" She says, still eagerly smiling, "I've got twins your age! Sheik and Zelda, Sheik's a bit cheeky but he'll make sure you're ok, and Zelda is ever so friendly!

"Stuck up countryside kids…" I mutter under my breath, kicking the toe of my shoes onto the kitchen floor, scuffing the tiles with a little rubber mark.

"I take it you're going to the school in the GerudoValley?" She asks me, either not having heard, or choosing to ignore, my last remark.

Hasn't she got the message yet? I don't want to talk to her! I don't want to make awkward polite chit chat. Why can't she just leave me alone? I swear to Hylia that no one in the backwards place seems to be able to take a hint.

"Yes, he is!" Mum cuts in, putting an end to the lingering silence.

Mrs Harkinian smiles, turning to her kitchen side. "Would anyone like a drink?"

I sigh, leaning back against the wall with crossed arms as my parents begin conversing with her. She's so freaking polite, it's honestly a little irritating. In the city everyone keeps themselves to themselves and no one asks incessant nagging questions. Yet in the countryside, everything is different. I've only been in this house for less than five minutes and I already know that I'm going to hate it here, period.

I let out another deep sigh as I stare around the room. It's a comfortable looking traditional cottage kitchen. Wooden counters line the walls and there's a large dining table in the centre of the room, set out with a cupcake print table cloth and a vase of flowers. A large lemon drizzle cake sits on the side, a couple of slices already taken from it, and the fridge is cluttered with alphabet magnets and family snap shots. So bloody charming.

Suddenly, the stable-style door is thrown open and a little girl runs in. She's all dressed in white three quarter length trousers and a purple vest top with a blue cardigan. Her hair is tied up in a neat little bun, and she looks about Aryll's age. She runs right over to Mrs Harkinian, I'm presuming she's her daughter… and she wraps her arms around her mum legs as she gives her a big gap-toothed smile, before turning to us.

"New people!" She squeals, jumping up and down and clapping her olive toned hands. She rushes straight past me, her blonde bun bobbing behind her head as she grabs my little sister's hand.

"Hi!" She exclaims, "My name's Tetra!"

"I'm Aryll!" My little sister replies, beaming.

"Let me show you the house!" Tetra says, pulling Aryll towards the door, not that Aryll's resisting. The two run off together, their tiny feet pattering on the floor of the house as mum smiles fondly.

"Looks like they've made friends already!" She says, as Mrs Harkinian hands her herbal tea, and my dad a cup of coffee.

I scoff as I rest one foot up against the wall that I lean on while my parents continue talking. I half listen to their conversation, catching words like 'school', 'farm' and 'baby' though I can't be bothered to listen to the entire conversation. Right now, I honestly wish I was anywhere but here. I wish I was back in my bedroom of that tiny apartment, sketching whilst playing baby shambles music at full volume on my iPod. I wish I could be back on those grey city streets, anonymous, or that I could hide from the too-cheerful country folk, from my parents and my little sister. I wish I could just escape, to run away from this drab little house, but there's no chance of that happening.

The wooden stable door is thrown open again, and two people wander into the room. The first is a tall blond Sheikah boy, dressed in jeans, tatty trainers, and a navy blue t-shirt with an orange mark of the Sheikah on it. He has long blond hair that falls lazily in front of his eyes, and he studies me carefully with his blood red eyes, a crooked grin twitching at the corner of his mouth. I carefully study him too, taking in his toned arms. He clearly he works out a lot, though the dusty stain on his t-shirt tells me that he's also a little lazy. Judging by his muscular fatigue, and his posture, I'd guess he was a football player. I'm willing to bet that he's one of those popular jock boys, who all the girls at school swoon over, the sort of guy that when he walks down the halls, people step out of his path.

A girl follows in behind him. She walks much more daintily than he does, with a light spring in her step. Long blonde hair dances around her shoulders as she comes to a stop by the Sheikah boy, two plaits falling forwards around her jaw. She looks similar to him, the same colour hair, the same skin tone, and they're both about my age, though she looks more Hylian than he does. She's slender, elegant, and she wears a long dusty pink dress with a white cardigan. Her indigo eyes are sparkling as I glance her over, taking in the light amount of make up on her face, her silver bracelets and Goddess crest necklace. Her warm smile tells me that she's friendly, but I can see right through it. She's one of those pretty little sweethearts who can get anything she wants just a cute dainty smile. She probably has the blond Sheikah wrapped around her little finger, ready to do anything for her at just a moment's notice. Pretty girls like her get life handed to them on a silver plate, whereas the rest of us aren't so lucky.

"Nice to meet you!" The boys says, his country accent thick on his tongue as he gives me a smile. "I'm Sheik, this is Zelda, and you are…?" He tilts his head to the side, hoping for an answer.

I don't satisfy him with a response; just simply grab my bags and a set of room keys from dad and make for the door into the rest of the house.

"I'm going to put my stuff in my room." I state, marching away from my family and the precious little blond twins, leaving just silence behind me.

As soon as I step away from the door, I find myself in a large room that appears to be some sort of dining area. Tables of varying sizes are laid out, with different colour table cloths, though no crockery or cutlery is present. I sigh, marching right on through to the next room. I'm immediately greeted with a long corridor, a variety of different doors leading off it. The corridor is currently empty, leaving me with peace and quiet to think this through. I quickly glance at the tag on the keys, it reads '7'. I nod to myself, wandering down the hall. My feet make a soft shuffling noise as I pad along the carpet, but as I come to the end of the corridor, the door I face is labeled 'Room 6'.

I sigh again, turning back around and studying the room once more. But all I can see is white wash walls and pale wooden doors, until my eyes finally fall on the solution. Tucked away in a tiny corner of the room, hidden out of sight, is a small staircase. It's curled into a spiral shape and disappears up out of sight. I frown, slowly advancing towards the staircase. My hands touch the warm wood of the banister as I move onto the first step. It creaks a little beneath my weight, but I'm too curious to really care at the moment. I move up, gradually getting faster and faster as I go, until I eventually come out at the top. And sure enough, rooms seven to ten are spread out before me, along with a door labelled 'Private! No customers beyond this point'.

"Look like this is my stop…" I mutter to myself.

* * *

An hour later, I find myself sat on the bed in my new room, sketch pad in hand. It's not a great room if I'm honest with you, mum and dad would like it, but it's too country for me. Framed photographs of fields and various farm animals were hung along the wall before I took them down. I only left one up, of a dappled grey horse, simply because horses have always fascinated me. I think it's probably because many of the Heroes of the Legends rode horses; the Hero of the Twilight even had one called Epona. I covered the rest of the walls with my sketches, putting my favourite ones right above my bed so I can look at them while I sleep. I unpacked all my possessions, filled the tiny desk with all my art materials and hung the few clothes I have in the wardrobe, lining the bottom shelf with my many pairs of customized converses. I filled the bookshelf with all my favourite books, plugged my WiiU into the television, and hung my posters from all the empty hooks. And finally, I sat back on my bed with my sketch pad and soft pencils.

Now here I am, working away on a new sketch. A picture is starting to take place on the thick paper of my sketchbook; large blocks shoot up from the bottom of the page, etched with different shades of grey, each done carefully with a different pencil or technique. I added depth to the picture, drawing tiny windows spouting from the blocks, labeling them with corporate business names or putting shop signs hanging off the walls. I then moved onto the people, setting my nimble fingers to work drawing in different figures, busily going about their daily lives in the crowded streets. And finally, at the back centre of the picture, I began to draw another building. I laid out tall towers spiraling into the sky, rich architecture and vast walls towering high above the rest of the city, none other than the proud and strong castle of Castle Town.

I smile, seemingly satisfied with my work. I'm just about to pull the page from the book and hang it to my wall, when suddenly there's a loud knocking noise at the door. I look up quickly, snapping the sketch book shut as the door is pushed open, and the blond Sheikah boy pokes his head around the door.

"What do you want?" I ask, glancing him up and down.

He laughs a little. "Your mum's worried about you, she wants to know if you're planning on leaving this room any time today."

I roll my eyes, dropping my sketch book on my pillow as I reluctantly clamber to my feet. "Fine," I spit, grabbing my coat from the hooks. "I'm going for a walk, will that please her?"

"I guess," he shrugs. "Hey, I'll come with you if you like."

"I'd really rather you didn't," I say blatantly, though he doesn't look particularly put off by it.

"I'm being serious," he replies, "You don't know your way around the area and we're in the middle of nowhere, you could get lost. I'll come with you, show you around the village."

I smack one hand into my forehead. These people really are thick as a brick, aren't they?

"I don't want you to come with me!" I exclaim, "I want to be alone!"

"Oh, I got that!" He laughs, "It's just that your mum is-"

"Smothering me!" I cut him off. "Ugh, fine, you can come. But that doesn't mean I'm happy about it, ok?"

"Message understood…"

* * *

From the moment I stepped out of that house, I knew exactly what I was going to see. The road along the village was nothing but a dirt track, no sidewalks, no bicycle lanes, and no signs of life. We walked for fifteen minutes along the dusty road, and I didn't see a single other person, not even a car. The only other living beings in the area are a herd of cows that watched us walk, chomping lazily on grass as we passed them by. Sheik tried his best, oh he tried alright, to make conversation with me. He asked me all about my old school, what I was interested in, how I was liking the area, but the only responses he got were one word answers or indecipherable grunts. Eventually, I think he got the message and gave up.

Finally, we reached some signs of civilisation. Along one tiny portion of the road, there was a small cluster of houses grouped together, along with one miniature post office, and a solitary corner shop that appeared to sell postcards and hard candies. I know, exciting, right? Sheik said something about needing to get some birdseed for his mum, and dashed off across the road into the shop. Ironically, he checked left and right for traffic, despite the fact that we've seen no cars since leaving the house.

And that brings me to right about now. I stand, leaning against a low piece of wall with my hands deep in my coat pockets, ballooning my cheeks out of sheer boredom. Honestly, I hate it here, it's too quiet. In the city, there's always something going on, something new, someone to meet, somewhere to go. Yet here in the countryside, it's dead. I sigh, peering through the window of that little village shop. Sheik stands at the counter, the birdseed lying forgotten in front of him as he engages in a lengthy conversation with the balding man behind the till. I hang my head in exasperation, why is everyone in this crazy place so obsessed with these awkward, drawn out conversations?

Suddenly, I'm pulled from my own thoughts as a large shadow is cast over me, chilling my skin as it blocks the sunlight. I swallow hard, noticing the large pair of high-top trainers that step into my line of sight. Carefully looking up, I take in the rest of the figure. He wears baggy black jeans that fall too low around his ankles, dragging along the ground. He also wears a tight black t-shirt over his muscular torso, showing off his six-pack and toned fatigue. On top of this he sports a letterman jacket, red with white sleeves, and a large black 'GV' printed on the left side of his chest. Finally, I see his face, large, looming, and judgmental, with toxic yellow eyes that scan me menacingly. His hair is a bright flaming red colour, pushed and gelled until it peaks as a perfect pompadour. I don't want to even imagine how long he spends on his hair in the morning.

"Well, looks like there's a new boy in the village!" He laughs, his voice booming around the empty streets. He crosses his arms and he leans forward, towering over me. "Name?" He barks.

I raise my eyes a little at his blunt, rude, demands, straightening myself up as I reply. "Why don't you tell me yours first?"

He suddenly breaks into fits of low, hysterical laughter, clutching his stomach. "Oh look at the little city boy! He thinks he's tough! Nice accent, by the way." He spits, mocking me in his gruff voice.

I cross my arms, curling my lips into a cruel smirk as I retort. "Nice hair."

Suddenly his expression drops, forming into one of pure anger, creases appearing in the corner of his eyes as he huffs. "Ok, listen up city boy. You might think you're tough, but if you plan on sticking around here you need to learn the hierarchy."

I raise my eyebrows, laughing as I pat his arm patronisingly. "Wow, that's big word for you!"

I turn away, feeling a little proud of myself for standing up to that Neanderthal. I take few steps away from him, when suddenly I feel his iron hand clamp down on my shoulder as he pulls hard, forcing me to turn and face him. He grips onto the collar of my jacket with one large fist, dragging me closer to him until he's just a few inches from me. His breath is hot and moist on my skin as I grimace at the scent of salami passing through his lips as he growls at me, shaking me a little as he talks.

"Congratulations short ass, you've just made the list."

"The list?" I question, raising one eyebrow sarcastically.

"My list," he spits, "You made yourself public enemy number one by messing with Groose. You'd better find a good place to hide at school on Monday if you don't want to end up in serious trouble."

I open my mouth to reply, to give him some sarcastic come back, to tell him that I don't care if he's top dog around here, to show him that I simply couldn't care less. But before I can even verbalise my thoughts, a loud shout catches Groose's attention.

"Hey! Groose! Back off!"

He looks away from me, clearing my line of sight, allowing me to see the source of the voice. Sheik approaches us both, dropping the bag of bird seed against the low wall I was previously sat on, before turning to Groose. He forces his arm between us, shoving me back away from Groose and making me stumble on the dusty ground as he steps in front of me. Sheik crosses his arms authoritatively as he laughs at Groose's gormless expression.

"How about you leave my friends alone, yeah?" Sheik says, squaring up to Groose.

I frown a little at the word 'friend'. At no point did I say I wanted to be friends with this kid, I don't make friends with the stuck up, popular blond jocks. Kids like him are the ones you avoid, simply because they're all just egotistical and arrogant, and I'd really rather not get involved with people like him. So why the hell does he think that we're friends? What in Hyrule gave him that idea? Despite my objections, I don't dare to correct him at this point in time.

"Uhh… why are you fighting his battles?" Groose asks, "The kid picked a fight with me, he can look after himself."

Sheik laughs dismissively as he meets Groose's toxic gaze. "I am telling you, leave him alone." He says the last three words slowly, annunciating each one. "Don't make me kick your ass, again."

They both stand in silence for a few moments, Sheik's higher status never wavering as Groose tries to stand his ground. But eventually, he has to give up. He turns away, waving his arm in frustration as he walks away along the dusty road, muttering profanities under his breath.

He turns back, glancing over his shoulder momentarily as he calls: "You're on the list, city boy!"

I hold two fingers up to my forehead, giving him a sarcastic salute as he turns away. Sheik laughs, clapping me on the back as he grins.

"Are you ok?" He asks, looking up at me through his messy blond fringe.

"Fine," I spit. "I didn't need your help."

Sheik laughs lightly, "If you say so…"

He stoops down, collecting the bag of birdseed as we proceed back up the road towards the B&B again. But there's one thought niggling in the back of my mind. Sheik's words confused me…

"_Don't make me kick your ass, again."_

I frown, "What did you mean by again?"

He turns, looking at me with confusion in his eyes. "Huh?"

"You said 'don't make me kick your ass, again'. Have you done it before?"

He looks away, laughing a little as he does. "Yeah, back last year he was picking on Zelda, wouldn't leave her alone. So… I taught him a lesson, simple as that!"

"Oh…" I murmur, for lack of a better reply. So I was right about Zelda, she really does have him wrapped around her little finger.

I look up at him, squinting a little in the harsh sunlight. He walks slowly, proudly, as he carries that big bag of birdseed under one strong arm. He brushes his hair back carelessly as thoughts dance around in my mind. Why did he stand up for me against Groose? And why was Groose so quick to back down when challenged by Sheik, but not by me? Sheik turns to look at me, concerned by my thoughtful expression.

"Are you alright?" He asks.

I stand in silence for a few moments, unsure of how to answer. Eventually, I simply say "I'm not your friend."


	5. A Young Foal

**Power cut! Luckily my laptop has a full charge, so even if I can't go on the internet, it's a good chance to get some writing done! Now, this chapter mentions Hyrule Historia, the book recently released in England, America and Europe! My copy arrived last week, and I really REALLY would recommend any Zelda fan to buy this book! You will LOVE it!**

**Big thank you for the reviews from the lovely Christmasloot, TheMysteriousDude, PrincesscharmingKnight, CreCra, Zelink4eva123, SxDsX, 'Guest', ShadowNinja1011, Franne, Hanyoualchemist1, DestinyPrincess289, prettyguardianofhyrule, Not-Alone-Anymore, Azulhada, Bleachshowlover1, Mrperson01, MrSnowmanJoe, Neez, Joyma, TatlTails, and forty2smurfs! Especially thank you because you got me to fifty reviews already! You are AMAZING! :)**

**Thank you to Princess Zelda-figure skater for beta reading!**

* * *

_**Sheik's POV:**_

I sit at the kitchen table, running my fingers through my tousled blond hair. Question sheets lie spread out in front of me, along with a textbook, a pen, and a few pieces of lined paper. I let out a low disgruntled groan, gripping a fistful of my hair as I droop my head. I have always hated homework, I've never really been the sharpest tool in the box, but sometimes when I'm stuck at home, staring at a sheet of paper, the words all become a jumbled mess. Honestly, I'm pretty dumb. I have to put in an awful lot of work to even get a passing grade in my subjects. I look up at Zelda, whose standing over the kitchen counter, stirring a bowl of biscuit mix. It's easy for her; she's as smart as a penny and quick to learn. She gets straight A's all the time… how's that fair?

"Are you ok, Sheik?" She asks me, turning to look at me as she wipes the flour off her hands using her apron.

"Eh," I mumble, "Completely stuck on this history homework."

"What question?" She asks, walking towards me and leaning over my shoulder as she reads my work.

"Question four: The Master Sword was forged during which era?" I reply "The textbook is absolutely no help at all!"

She giggles a little, flipping my copy of 'Heroes of Hyrule' shut.

I frown as I glance up at her. "What was that for?"

"You're using the wrong book!" She replies, wandering over to my school bag and rummaging through. Eventually her fingers glide over the deep green spine of 'Hyrule Historia', pulling the thick book from my bag. The front is printed with the gate of time in shining golden material. She lays the book down in front of me and flips through the pages, until she pulls it open to the time line of the legends.

"See?" She says, "You know which legend the Master Sword was forged in, right?"

"Of course," I reply, "The legend of the Skyward Sword."

"Exactly! Which means it was forged in…?"

"…The Sky Era?" I ask, looking up hopefully.

Her indigo eyes sparkle, "Perfect!"

I grin, scrawling the answer down on the paper as she returns to her baking. I sit back, watching my twin sister as she carefully picks up small balls of the doughy mixture, rolling it out on the side and cutting perfect circles from it. I inhale deeply; it's always been the same. Zelda's always been the one to help me with my homework when I get stuck. She's always been like a teacher to me, and honestly, she's a damn sight better than most of the teachers at our school. They disregard me as stupid, stop even trying to teach me. Zelda's different, she's prepared to put in the effort to help me understand things, and as soon as they click in my mind, it's so simple!

I turn back to my worksheet, ready to answer the next question about the evil Demon Lord, when suddenly the kitchen door is opened. I look up from my worksheet, glad of the distraction. And my eyes fall on Mrs Faron. She rests one hand on the handle of the doorway, the other on her large baby bump. Her long dark blonde hair is tied back into a single pony tail, and she gives us both a hopeful smile.

"Hi," Zelda says, turning away from her cookies. "Can we help you?"

"Actually, yes!" She replies, "You both know that Link can be a bit of a… uhh…" she stumbles for a few moments, trying to find the right word.

"Introvert?" Zelda asks. I swallow hard, not even bothering to ask what it means.

"Well, you could say that," Mrs Faron says. "I was going to go with 'moody shut-in', but that's probably the pregnancy hormones talking."

I laugh a little, dropping my pen down on the table. "What can we do to help?" I ask.

She looks down, a little embarrassed. "Tomorrow is his first day at school, he won't admit it but he's really rather nervous about it. I think it would be really beneficial if he went in tomorrow knowing you two a little better… he's kind of shutting himself away at the moment."

"I know…" Zelda mutters, chewing her lip. "He's barely left his room."

"Exactly!" Mrs Faron replies, "You're his age, going to his school; I figured if anyone would be able to coax him out of his shell, it would be you two!"

Zelda grins as she slips her tray of cookies into the oven, setting to work cleaning up the side. "We'd be happy to!" She replies.

Mrs Faron gives us a wide grin, looking very pleased with the result. "Thank you!" She exclaims, "Thank you so much!"

* * *

I knock on the big wooden door, waiting in silence for a few moments, hoping for a positive response. Zelda gives me an anxious look, her large indigo eyes giving away all her nerves as she shrugs her shoulders. We stand in silence for a few more moments, but there's still no response. I raise my fist again, ready to knock on the door for a second time, before a voice finally penetrates the thick wood.

"What do you want?"

I grasp the silver door handle, carefully turning it and pushing open the door. Me and Zelda make our way in, carefully taking in the room as we go. The walls are covered with dozens upon dozens of sketches. There are pictures of large city scapes, of castles and large proud buildings. Dotted between them are pictures of people, a boy garbed in a green tunic, a girl fancifully dressed in pink, with the royal crest on her clothes, and a large majestic red bird. I recognise them, the hero, the princess, and the Loftwing from the legends. Big, thick, leather bound books line the shelves. I guess he's really into the old legends…

I turn, looking at him as I push my hands into the pockets of my jeans. He sits on the bed, cross legged, with an open sketch book in front of him. Collections of artists pencils sit in front of him, varying tones of shaded grey, and a huge box of about fifty colours, each one a slightly different shade than the last. He's dressed differently to how he last was; today he wears a long sleeved white t-shirt, a red shirt unbuttoned on top. His jeans appear to be in better condition than the last pair he wore, less ripped and tattered. On his feet, instead of the black converses doodled with tipex pen, he wears a red pair, decorated with pictures of swords and the mark of Din. His blue eyes are cynical as we enter, and I give him a nervous smile.

"Hey buddy, are you ok?" I ask.

"I'm not your buddy," He replies, not taking his angry gaze off me.

"What are you drawing?" Zelda asks, stepping a little closer and tilting her head to try and get a better look. But before she can get near to him he snaps the book shut, blocking her view.

"None of your business," He growls.

Zelda swallows hard, trying to think of a way to change the subject. He begins to collect up all his art tools, packing the different pencils away into the tins and closing the lids. My mind is racing to come up with an idea, something to at least engage in a conversation with him about. I promised his mother I'd try to help; I don't want to let her down.

"So," Zelda says, "We were planning to go into the Gerudo town later. We're going to see some friends of ours, and we wondered if you'd like to come with us?"

"I'd really rather not." He grumbles in response.

I sigh again, rolling my eyes. There has to be something I can do to engage this kid! I glance around the room, hoping for some inspiration. And my eyes fall on the picture of a dappled grey horse. I frown… he took down all the other pictures so he could make room for his sketches? Why not the horse?

"Do you like horses?" I ask, trying my best to sound casual.

He frowns, following my gaze to the picture, and suddenly he understands my reasoning behind the question. He shrugs simply, "I guess, they're kind of cool."

Zelda smiles. "We've got some horses in a stable out back… do you want to come and see them?" She asks.

He meets my gaze for a second, and for just a moment, I can see a hint of humanity in those cerulean eyes. But as quickly as it came it vanishes; he puts his shields back up.

"I'm really not that fussed." He states simply. "Now can you both just shove off? I don't hang out with irritating country couples..."

Zelda laughs "Couple? He's my twin brother!"

I watch as Link's eyebrows shoot up, his mouth hangs open a little bit as he struggles to find something to comeback with.

I grin. "Anyway, one of the horses just had some foals, they were only born last week… we haven't named them yet. Do you want to come and meet them?" I watch as the tiniest smile sneaks across his lips, he's tempted… but is it enough to take the bait? I ponder to myself for a few moments, before adding "You can even give them some milk if you like… maybe name one of them?"

And just like that, his guard lowers. His eyes begin to sparkle a little as he lets the tiniest hint of a smile pass over his lips. "I guess," he says, "I've always wanted to see a real life foal…"

I step aside, holding the door open for him as he clambers off the bed, taking to his feet. Zelda leads him along the corridors, chatting his ear off about taking care of horses. He pretends like he doesn't care, like he isn't listening, though I can see him watching her through the corner of his eyes. I walk behind him down the stairs, giving his mum a thumbs up as we pass her in the hall, playing a board game with Link's younger sister. She returns the gesture just as we make our way out of the door. Zelda is still talking endlessly about horses, telling him all about grooming them and changing their hooves, I think she knows that he cares a lot more than he's letting on.

Poor guy, he's just a little lost. I can't really blame him; he was pulled away from his home, and dragged to a place he's never been before, where he doesn't know anyone. I don't blame him for being a little angry about the situation, but hopefully, as long as we play our cards right, we can make him love being here. It'll just take patience, and a bit of time. I don't think he's really a bad person, despite the act he puts on. Underneath, I think he might just be a genuinely nice guy.

"Here we are!" Zelda announces as we approach the large stable. The ground is amuck with loose bits of straw and horse feed, and there's a lingering smell of manure, but Link seems to be enjoying himself regardless. Zelda carefully pulls open the large, heavy, wooden gate, stepping inside and inviting us both in after her. She points out all the riding gear to Link as we walk along the back wall of the stables. He carefully finger and thumbs each piece of gear we pass, admiring the sturdy leather work of the saddles.

Eventually, we come to greet the large horse, lying in a back corner of the stable. Her long chocolaty mane falls around her strong shoulder blades as Link watches her, a look of pure awe and wonder on his face. She eyes him nervously with her large black pupils, unsure of how to react to a stranger around her young foals. Link is staring at the foals as they lie next to their mother, nuzzling each other with their soft velvety noses. He turns to Zelda, a little unsure of what to do.

"It's ok," Zelda says, smiling. "The best thing to do is feed a handful of hay to the mother. Approach her slowly, and once she's eaten the hay, she might let you near to her young ones."

Link nods obediently, stooping down and collecting a handful of dusty hay from the bale sitting up against the wall. He slowly approaches the proud horse, palm extended out in front of him. She watches him nervously, sniffing the hay in his hand, not sure whether or not to trust him. Eventually, she gingerly takes a bite, consuming the hay with her long lips curled back as she munches the food lazily. Link takes a deep breath, backing away and sitting himself down on the floor of the stable.

I frown, leaning closer to Zelda and whispering into her ear. "What's he doing?"

"Shh…" she whispers back, but after a few seconds, she turns, walking away from the little barn. I frown, where is she going?

One of the young foals turns, carefully examining Link. Its fur is a soft chestnut brown colour, and its mane is a long, glorious, golden one. Link watches in silence as the tiny foal gets to its feet, slowly approaching him with extreme caution. He holds out one palm, letting the foal carefully sniff him. He holds his breath for a few moments, waiting in anxious silence, but the baby horse blows a happy raspberry, nuzzling his palm appreciatively.

I watch in amazing silence, as for the first time since he arrived, Link begins to genuinely smile. His face lights up as the little foal settles down next to him, nuzzling its long, elegant nose against his arm. He begins to laugh, sounding happy and relieved at the same time. That's when Zelda returns, a small plastic bottle in her hands with a rubber teat on the end. Inside the bottle is milk, the special nutrition formulae dad got just for the ponies. She smiles, approaching Link and handing him the bottle. He takes it gratefully, offering it to the tiny foal, who begins suckling from the teat of the bottle. He smiles, carefully stroking the little pony's back.

I cross my arms, smiling contentedly. "Do you want to name her?"

He looks at the horse thoughtfully for a few moments, before smiling to himself.

"Epona… her name's Epona."


	6. Gerudo Valley High School

**Wow! Ok… this turned out to be the longest chapter I've ever written! It's more twice the length of my minimum word count… wow! It was completely unintentional, but you guys have been asking for longer chapters, so here you go! But don't get used to it, chapters won't often be this long! O****ne other thing I have to say, is that I have recently been working on a collaboration with two other amazing writers on the site, Franne and PrincesscharmingKnight, it's called Adventure in Skyloft and is posted on this account! It would mean alot to me if you guys would check it out :)**

**Anyhow, I have to say a big BIG thank you to PrincesscharmingKnight, CreCra, ShadowNinja1011, Franne, TheMysteriousDude, Zelink4eva123, SxDsX, iranda20, Hanyoualchemist1, ShadowMario3, Mrperson01, Bleachshowlover1, forty2smurfs, ScootinJackMcCue, DestinyPrincess289, Neez, Daughter of Din, shhimaninja16, Azulhada, and prettyguardianofhyrule! You're all supermegafoxyawesomehot!**

**Thank you to Princess Zelda-figure skater for beta reading!**

* * *

_**Link's POV:**_

I stare at the person in the mirror, and I'm really rather scared by how little he looks like me. I don't wear tattered jeans, no old band t-shirts or tipex tattooed converses. Instead, I find myself dressed in an uncomfortably fitted pristine white shirt. The cuffs of my sleeves fall just over the edges of my red-piped blazer, a bright emblem of Din printed on the left hand side of which, along with the words 'Gerudo Valley High School' in traditional font underneath. Around my kneck is a thick red and black striped tie, the quality silk fabric of which is pulled right up around to my collar. I sigh as I stoop down, kneeling on one leg to tie the laces of my new black leather school shoes, which have been polished to perfection. As uncomfortable and snotty as this new uniform is, it has to be better than the one I wore to my old school. However, potato-sack shaped jumpers and thin navy cardigans aren't much to compete with.

Suddenly, my bedroom door is thrown open, and I see my little sister Aryll stood on the other side. She's wearing her bright red school jumper, neat black pleated skirt, and red school tights. Her jumper has the black emblem of Din, with the words "Gerudo Valley Junior School" underneath. She gives me a bright gap-toothed grin as I stand myself up again. She runs over to me, her new school shoes with Velcro straps padding on the floor as she jumps up into my arms.

"Look, Link! Look at my new school clothes!" She giggles, pulling at the tie around my neck.

"You look very smart," I reply, carefully putting her down on the floor next to me.

At that moment, mum makes her way into the room. She's walking slowly, being careful not to upset the baby as she goes. The wool of her thin green jumper barely covers her bulging stomach as she gives me a weak smile. For all the jokes I make, for all the sarcastic comments, and for all I complain about my mum, I do really care about her. The past few weeks, I've never seen her looking so uncomfortable, I guess it can't be easy carrying a baby around. I don't remember her having the same problem with Aryll… but I was only seven when she was born, I doubt I paid much attention to her pregnancy. She makes her way over, carefully adjusting my tie as she lets out an exhausted sigh.

"You've got to be careful with Link's new clothes today, Aryll," she says, setting my tie into the right position. "We want him to look smart for his first day at a new school!"

"It's my first day too!" Aryll says, pulling at mum's hand, trying to get her attention.

"Yes," Mum replies, smiling. "But you always look lovely!"

"Oh geeze, thanks mum!" I murmur, rubbing my hands along the back of my neck, something I've always done when I'm nervous. It's not the first day at a new school that's worrying me, it's leaving mum on her own for that day. Dad's going to spend the whole time fixing up the old farm house, and with Aryll and me at school all day… who would be around if something went wrong? I quickly glance at my reflection again, trying to calm my nerves as I adjust my blazer. I look down at my watch… It's five to eight. Zelda and Sheik said they'd be here to walk me to the bus stop at eight o'clock.

Mum smiles, "Don't look so nervous, Link! You'll love it at your new school!"

"I won't!" I reply, collecting my satchel from where it rests on my bed. "It's a school in the country side, it'll be full of dumb country kids who can barely count the eggs that their chickens lay, let alone handle algebra!"

Mum rolls her eyes, looking a little irritated. "Link, I wish you wouldn't be so rude! Sheik and Zelda are perfectly nice kids!"

"They're alright, I guess," I shrug. "But the school bully already has me top of his hit list, so it sounds like I'm in for a treat today!" I reply sarcastically.

Mum's face suddenly drops, "What did you just say?"

And at that moment, as if on cue, Sheik pokes his head around the door, giving me a bright smile, like it isn't eight o'clock in the morning. He wears the same uniform as I do, though I can't help but notice that his blazer has a little singe mark on the sleeve… I don't dare to question it. Zelda follows in behind him, her usually free flowing blonde hair tied back into a plait. She wears the same uniform too, except instead of trousers, she wears thick black tights and neat pleated skirt.

"Hey Link," Sheik says, "Are you ready to go?"

* * *

Ten minutes later, I find myself sat on an uncomfortable wooden bench at the bus stop. I cross my arms a little, hiding my hideous, pretentious school uniform underneath my dark green coat. I really wish I was anywhere but here. Sure, my old school sucked, but at least I didn't have to get a bus. I could walk to school from my old apartment; we were just two blocks away! But here, apparently there's a twenty minute ride on a cheap, school contracted bus.

I'm not alone under this us shelter. I'm accompanied by Sheik and Zelda, who keep trying to engage me in conversation. They ask me about my favourite subjects, what extracurricular I like doing, whether I'd join any sports teams, and the like. Truth of the matter is, I've never really been much of an academic. I'll get my head down in lessons, I'll get the work done, but I've never been the type to go above and beyond for the sake of a subject I care nothing for. The only class I've ever properly enjoyed was art, and that's because I had an amazing teacher who actually understood me. I've never played in a sports team; I barely even usually try in games class. I can tell from their eager smiles that Sheik wants me to get involved in sports, and Zelda academics, but they've never really been my forte.

A loud rumbling noise erupts from further down the road. I listen more carefully, taking in the thundering, clanking, shuddering noises… what the hell could possibly be making that racket? I glance at Sheik and Zelda, ready to ask them for the source of the noise, when suddenly my question is answered. A large, yellow, metallic minibus trundles around the corner. Its exhaust pipes belch unattractive, unappealing grey fog as it slowly nears us. The window panes shake with every bump the bus runs over, and judging by the horrendous noise it creates, it's long past its peak.

I watch in stunned, slightly disgusted silence as the bus comes to a gentle stop just in front of the bus stop sign. There's a loud hissing noise, making me jump from my own skin, as the large doors fold open. Sheik and Zelda make their way up the steps of the minibus, greeting the driver with warm smiles as he hands them chocolate éclairs wrapped in purple and gold foil. I frown as I gingerly follow them up the steps, taking in all my surroundings. Rows and rows of chairs fall to the back of the vehicle, each one covered in something that I'm sure you could pass off as cheap carpet. The windows leak water that drips down the dirty glass. I swallow hard, trying not to breathe through my nose for the fear of a foul smell.

"Alright son?" The driver asks, offering me one of his éclairs. I shake my head, not bothering to give him a reply as I start off down the bus. Sheik and Zelda are already sat down next to each other, contentedly chomping the éclairs. I carefully drop my school satchel onto the seat just across the aisle from them, sitting down on the seat closest to the window. Just as I'm getting comfy, another figure climbs onto the bus. He's tall, well built, with a bright red pompadour… oh Goddess… Groose… He thunders down the aisle, heading straight for the back seat, where he collapses right in the middle.

"Alright, city boy?" He says, grinning as he chews his gum loudly, mouth wide open. "We're going to have some fun today, yeah?"

"Hey!" Sheik intervenes, leaning awkwardly over the back of his seat to give Groose his worst look, "Back off Link!"

Groose responds with a simple two figure gesture, before turning to me. "Just wait till your little friend isn't around." He says, cracking his knuckles like an old fashioned gangster.

"Oh, I'm so terrified!" I mutter, my voice monotone to emphasise my sarcasm. I turn back to glance out of the window, just as the engine begins to rev up and we pull of the curb. My body is shaken and churned as we trundle along the thin country roads in the old, beat up mini bus. I can tell already that today is going to be awful…

* * *

"Best of luck!" Zelda says, giving me an all too bright smile as she and her twin brother start off along the path towards the main school entrance. They told me that I could always come to them if I was lonely, told me that their friends would love me, and said I should ask them if I get lost. I don't understand why they're being so damn polite… do they think I can't stand up for myself or something? I hope everyone in this school isn't as sickeningly polite as these two… honestly, it's a little irritating.

I turn, looking up at the glass doors of the main office. The school's logo is printed on one of the windows, along with the words 'Achieving success through community.' I can't help but roll my eyes as I grip the door handle, carefully pulling open the wooden framed doors. As I enter through, I find myself in a small room with a squashy red sofa, a serving hatch, and a large pin board. I turn, carefully closing the door behind me, and then moving on to study the pin board. Figures and data have been printed off a computer and pinned to the wall, attendance, grades, league tables, and inspection notes. Accompanying this are a variety of photographs, there's pictures and pictures of students smiling, laughing, talking and working. I look at boys and girls dressed in red sports gear, playing football and basketball, there's photographs of students heavily made up and in costumes, presumably performing some kind of show. But the thing that really snatches my attention is in the lower left corner of the pin board, photographs of an abstract 3D model, made entirely of loose wires and old electrical equipment, with a vague sense of steam punk. It's clever, very emotional… to me it shows pride, self-respect. I feel a small smile spread across my lips as I step a little closer to examine the picture, when suddenly I hear a small cough behind me.

I turn quickly, and my eyes fall on a tall, skinny, Sheikah woman. Her skin is the colour of milky coffee, and her hair falls in one long braid over her right shoulder. Her bright amber eyes study me carefully as she places one hand on her hip. I can't help but notice her quirky attire, she dons a bright blue and orange jump suit, with a collection of orange beaded bracelets over her left wrist. Judging by all this, I'd guess she's an upper school student, one of the students who continue even when education is only optional. As she offers me a hand to shake, I notice the mark of the Sheikah tattooed on her wrist. She laughs a little as I accept her handshake, following my line of sight.

"You like my tattoo?" She asks. Her voice is surprisingly soft and friendly.

"Uhh… yeah!" I reply, "I think tattoos are awesome… I'm hoping to get a Triforce on my hand when I'm older."

"Sweet!" She replies, pulling her thin lips into a smile. I watch as she rests one hand on her hip, studying me carefully. "I don't recognise you… are you new around here?"

"Yeah," I reply. "I just moved to the area, I don't really know where I'm supposed to be…"

"Here," she says, "Let me help you."

I frown. "Shouldn't a teacher do that?"

She laughs a little, tossing her braid over her shoulder. "Yes! I'm an art teacher! Miss Impa… you never know, you might be in my class!"

I feel my eyebrows shooting into my hairline, watching in silence as she talks to the people in reception about sorting out my classes. Honestly, I'm surprised that she's a teacher. She looks far too young, and she seems… almost, cool? Maybe she's just started; she certainly can't have been doing this job for long. She turns back to me momentarily, leaning against the serving hatch as she does.

"Sorry, I didn't catch your name?" She says, handing me a school planner.

"Link," I say quietly. "Link Faron."

* * *

Miss Impa's sandals pad quietly along the corridors of Gerudo Valley High. I think this is a smaller school than the last one I was at… there seems to be less pupils and the site appears to be smaller. The corridors are dark and looming as we pass through what seems to be an endless number of them. Her braid swishes over her shoulder as she walks, and I try my best to keep up with her. If anyone asked me, I'd refuse to admit it, but honestly, I'm really nervous right now. I've never felt so out of place, what if all the kids are like Sheik and Zelda? Or worse… what if they're all like Groose? How am I supposed to deal with it? I find when it's one on one, I have no problem making sarcastic comments or snarky comebacks, but I am terrible when it comes to dealing with a gang of bullies… it all went to hell in my last school, and I'm dreading it'll be worse here. Maybe Sheik and Zelda are right? Maybe I'd be better just sticking with them… at least until I figure this place out.

"Here we are!" Miss Impa says, interrupting my thought patterns. "This is your form room!"

I swallow hard, putting on a confident smile, despite the fact that my stomach is churning inside of me. Remember what you've always done, Link… fake the confidence and no one will ever know any different. I take the door handle in my grip, carefully pushing open the heavy wooden door. I'm greeted by a reasonably small class, with only twenty or so students. I cast my eyes around the room, hoping to spot someone I already know. And sure enough, there sits Zelda, three rows from the front. On one side of her, sits a petite girl with a green pixie haircut, and together they sit chattering away. But to my luck, the seat on the other side of her is empty.

Everything falls silent as people turn to stare at me. I can already see their cruel eyes judging me, trying to label me, to fit me into a category. Nerd? Jock? Hipster? …Misfit?

"I'm Link," I say, trying to fake confidence, though I can hear my voice wavering. "I'm new here."

* * *

Four hours. Four hours of hell I've endured. I've had so many people have approached me, boys make jokes about my posh city accent, and girls tell me that they think it's cute. It's like there's nowhere quiet to hide in this school. I managed to sneak away at break time, hid out in my form room, pretending to be organising my new timetable, even though I really couldn't care less about my lessons right now. But as period four came to an end, I was cornered by Sheik. He nagged and nagged, begged whined and pleaded, until I agreed to come and have lunch with him and his friends. And now, he rests one hand on my back, pulling me along the corridors towards the school canteen, despite my protests.

"Sheik, do we really have to do this?" I ask, gripping on tight to the handle of my school satchel.

"Yup!" He replies.

"Maybe I don't want to meet your poxy friends!" I spit, trying to use insults to deter him.

Yet, much to my dismay, he doesn't appear at all put off, just continues dragging me down the halls. Until eventually, the corridors open out into a large lunchroom. Tables are crowded into a small area, and all along the back of the room, spans a long lunch line. Students are queuing up all along the corridors, trying to get some hot food for their lunch. I roll my eyes, telling myself not to make a joke about it. Sheik stands in silence, surveying the room for a few moments. If I'm being honest, I don't really want to meet his friends. They'll probably all be jocks, chatting mindlessly about football and other sports. I bet he's got a dumb blonde cheerleader for a girlfriend, who giggles at every joke he tells, even though she's too thick to understand them.

"There!" He suddenly exclaims, "Come on!"

He grabs me by the wrist, dragging me across the crowded lunch room. We weave between tables of students, each of whom are noisily eating or laughing with their friends. We pass the nerds playing World of War Craft, the cheerleaders sipping their five calorie drinks, and the popular douche bags with their perfectly styled hair. I'm a little taken aback as Sheik drags me past the table full of meatheads in letterman jackets who are tossing a football between them.

I frown. "Where are your friends?"

"Here!" He announces suddenly, pulling me to a standstill next to him. I'm greeted by a table of four people, all of whom are sat talking and laughing. The first person I notice is Zelda, busily eating a bowl of macaroni cheese as she sits with her maths book open in front of her, working on some homework. Typical, goodie two shoes who hates to get behind. Sheik walks around the table, sitting himself in a seat next to another boy, giving everyone a goofy smile.

"Everyone," Sheik says, looking up to me. "This is Link, the guy we were telling you about!"

"Hey," Says the boy sitting next to Sheik, "I'm Dark!"

I gingerly examine him. He's garbed in school uniform and a leather jacket. His jet black hair is pushed lazily back from his face, though it keeps flopping in from of his eyes, causing him to flip the fringe every few seconds. He wears a guitar pick on a thick black thread around his neck, and even as he talks he drums his fingers on the desktop. Guessing by this, I'd say he was a musician, probably a guitarist or a drummer. I watch as he gives me a bright smile, before averting his gaze back to the girl sat across the table.

I follow his line of sight, carefully watching the girl that he's so interested in. She's petite, with tiny fingers and a dainty heart shaped face. I recognise her… she's the girl who was sat next to Zelda in registration. Her bright green hair falls around her jaw line in a neat pixie cut, and she has a darker green hair band set just behind her ears. She giggles and laughs with Zelda, though occasionally her gaze slips back to Dark, sitting on the other side of the table. Well they're obviously a couple.

"What's your name?" I ask the girl as Zelda moves along, making room for me to sit down next to her. I carefully drop my bag behind me, turning back to the green haired girl.

"Saria," She replies, giving me a bright smile. "It's nice to finally meet you Link, I've heard so much about you!"

"You have?" I question, raising one eyebrow a little. What is with Sheik and Zelda? Do they really think I'm their friend? I've been blatant with them! I even told Sheik straight out that I'm not his friend… they can't seriously be telling all their little chums about me… can they?

"What have you heard?" I ask, looking around the group.

A red headed Twili from the end of table lets out a loud laugh. I feel my eyes open wide at the sudden shock of her laughter as I turn to look at her. Her long auburn pony tail shakes as she laughs aloud, her fiery red eyes dancing. I take in her exterior; she's dressed in her uniform, but wears heavy eye make up, lots of eyeliner and mascara, smudged around to give a smoky effect. All up her wrists she sports lots of little bracelets made of leather and string, some plaited, some folded, but all appear to be hand-made.

She senses my confusion, giving me a bright smile. "I'm Midna, and to answer your question: we know you're staying at the B&B, we know you're mums having a baby, and we know all about your little fight with Groose!"

My eyebrows shoot even higher as I turn to look at Sheik and Zelda, both who seem oblivious to the conversation. I'm not quite sure how to react to that… why they were telling people that I've never met before all about me!? What the hell? I watch as the group of teenagers dissolve into giggles, typical, how juvenile. I knew there was a reason I wouldn't want to meet their friends, it's because they're freaking stalkers!

"Why did you tell them so much?" I ask, turning to Sheik.

He shrugs, his mouth full of lamb kebab. "Don't blame me," He says simply, "It was all Zelda! She hasn't shut up about you!"

I turn to the little blonde girl, whose now blushing as she furiously scribbles in her math book. She's working so hard I'm surprised steam isn't pouring off the page. By this point in time, Saria is giggling incessantly, though her boyfriend is trying desperately to calm her down.

"Zelda?" I say, my voice rather loud as I climb to my feet. "What the hell?"

She blushes even more violently as I get up from me seat, leaning closer to the cringing blonde.

"Zelda!"

"HEY!"

I stand bolt upright, my eyes glancing left and right around the room, trying to find the source of the loud yell. I scan over the sea of faces, all now sat in silence, watching the scene unravel. And that's when I find the perpetrator: Groose. He stands tall and proud, grinning like a goon as he laughs with his ridiculous voice. I frown, suddenly noticing that he's holding something… I lean forward, examining the item more closely. Upon inspection, I can see that it's my brown, leather, quality made satchel.

"Wait," I shout, "That's mine!"

I glance around the crowded canteen, trying to find a route to Groose through the tangle of people, bags and coats, but there's no route I can take quickly enough without falling flat on my face. A ripple of laughter begins to spread through the crowds of people. They all sit, watching as Groose rummages through my bag, pulling out my favourite sketch pad… My mind suddenly races with panic… what sketches are in there? There's my imaginary characters, the hero of Legend, my city scapes… and the mortal Goddess. Oh no…

"Who's this?" Groose asks, flipping the book open to my sketch of the mortal Goddess. Her golden hair spirals out around her in a perfect formation as she floats down, her white gown billowing around her as she does. It's decent, completely so, but it's very romanticised.

"Is this your girlfriend, City boy? Oh wait… of course not! City boy hasn't got a girlfriend!"

"Give me that back!" I demand.

I'm about to start picking a path through the crowded dining hall, when suddenly he lobs the sketch book in the air, tossing it over to one of his jock buddies. Loose pages flutter from the book, falling down over the canteen as people start laughing more loudly. A couple of them are whispering, pointing to me, already judging me. I swallow hard, curling my hands into tight fists as I make up my mind of what to do. It's the only way to get that sketch book back… save myself from further embarrassment. It's high risk… but high reward.

I step up onto the bench where Zelda sits, before stepping up further onto the table. Gasps, laughs, and appreciative whoops spread through the canteen as I begin diving from table to table, jumping to avoid people's dinners as I use the tables as platforms to hotfoot through he canteen. People begin to clear their lunches from the tables, making room for me to pass as I get nearer and nearer to Groose.

"Link, what are you doing?" Zelda calls from the end of the hall. But at this point in time, I'm too close, nearly able to reach that damn sketchbook. I take a deep breath, diving at Groose and knocking him down to the floor, falling on top of him myself. I feel the impact of the ground thud through me, but right now I'm too hyped on adrenaline to care. I quickly grab the sketchbook, wrenching it from his possession, honestly feeling very proud of myself.

"LINK FARON!"

And that's when everything falls dead silent, people return to their seats, placing their dinners back on the tables as they try to pretend like nothing happened. People are hiding their faces as silence descends over the room, leaving only me, kneeling in top of Groose, my sketchbook in hand. I swallow hard, looking up into the face of Headmaster Geapora. Well done Link, your first day of school, and you've already got yourself into trouble…

"Link Faron, my office… NOW!"


	7. Making Plans

**100 REIVEWS! There are no words to describe the sheer awesomeness of all my readers, seriously! Every single review has put a smile on my face and I appreciate you all so much for taking the time to read this! I'm honestly so chuffed with it all... THANK YOU! Especially to TheMysteriousDude, LEva114, ShadowNinja1011, Zelink4eva123, PrincesscharmingKnight, iranda20, ShadowMario3, LeilaEditer, Nuclear Chick, Hanyoualchemist1, Screen, MrSnowmanJoe, ScootinJackMcCue, Bleachshowlover1, Mrperson01, James Birdsong, Neez, Franne, CreCra, Not-Alone-Anymore, and GioSpy for reviewing the last chapter! Special thanks to Screen who was my 100th!**

**Thank you to Princess Zelda-figure skater for beta reading!**

* * *

It's Friday morning, four days after the incident in the canteen… that certainly didn't go down well. I was holed up for an hour in Headmaster Gaepora's office, trying my best to explain the situation to him. I tried to tell him about everything Groose had done, told him how Groose stole my sketchbook and threw it around. But he wouldn't hear a word of it… turns out, that the day before I arrived, he'd been on the phone to the headmaster from my old school. And he'd told Gaepora everything… he talked all about the fights I used to get into at my old school. In my defence, I only attacked when I was provoked, when kids laughed at my artwork or called me a misfit. He told Gaepora all about how 'antisocial' I was, hiding away in the art room every lunchtime, though he failed to mention that I only did it to escape from the school bullies who heckled me otherwise.

I then had to sit through a twenty minute lecture from Headmaster Gaepora about how the Gerudo Valley high school does not tolerate that kind of behaviour. He used a lot of phrases like 'community values' and 'respecting fellow pupils'. I just let it all wash over me, because I knew it wasn't my fault, I knew it was all down to Groose, even if the teachers didn't believe me. I was then punished with community service for the next three lunchtimes. This meant walking around the school playground in a high-visibility jacket, picking empty crisp packets and water bottles and putting them into the bin. Much to the entertainment of Groose and his jocks, Ghirahim, Vaati, and Ganondorf.

School weren't the only ones to punish me though, turns out they'd also called my parents to have words with them. I came home to receive an hour long lecture from dad about spoiling my chances. He said this was a fresh start, a change from my old school where I had a reputation for trouble. He asked me why I was so insistent on ruining all my chances in life. I didn't listen to a word he said, I just let it fly right past my head, otherwise I knew I'd end up arguing back. He then talked about how brilliant Sheik is, working hard in class, joining the school sports team, looking after his sister. He told me I should aspire to be more like Sheik, said maybe if I tried being his friend, then some of Sheik's good attitude would wear off on me. I couldn't help but laugh at that. After spending a week hanging out the guy, I realised that the good-boy act is all heirs and graces he puts on in front of adults. He's gotten into his own scraps with Groose. And not to mention, he's incredibly dirty minded, making jokes at every available opportunity.

Of course, no one would listen to my side of the story, no one would let me get a word in edgeways. Before I could even have any say in the matter, I was labelled as a trouble maker and shoved into punishments. It looks like most people, even my parents, have already made their mind up about me. Luckily, not everyone in this pathetic little countryside town is so naive. Though Sheik is goody two shoes in front of adults, he's actually a fairly nice guy. Beneath his try-hard, nice-boy exterior he's very funny. He can make me laugh even when I'm down, he stands up for me when Groose or his jocks pick fights, and he didn't pass judgement on me like most other people in this hell hole. Zelda's alright too, she is always happy to help me with my homework, and she even lent a hand picking up the trash when I was riddled with community service. Turns out I'm not the only one Groose enjoys picking on… she's another of his targets whenever her twin brother isn't around. I'm still not entirely sure why she told her friends so much about me, but I've figured out it's too early to really get wound up about it, she was only trying to be friendly. Their friends aren't half bad either. Midna, Dark, and his girlfriend Saria, are quite fun to hang around with. They came round to the B&B after school on Wednesday and all of us, Sheik and Zelda included, hung out in my room playing on my WiiU. Dark managed to trounce us all when playing Luigi's Ghost Mansion, but I was king when it came to Mario Chase.

Truth of the matter is, I'm willing to admit that maybe I passed judgement on these kids too soon. I don't want people to make assumptions about me, so it's fair to say that I shouldn't have done it for them either. They're not that bad when you get to know them… I wouldn't say they're my best friends in the world, but they're good company… for now at least.

I haven't told anyone this, but I'm not planning on sticking around here. I know, there's no chance in hell my parents will ever leave this Goddess-forsaken place, especially considering it's only one week until mum's due date… but that doesn't mean I have to stay here. I've been planning it all week, laying groundwork in my mind. I'm running away, simple as that. I'll go back to the city, I know people there who would be willing to let me stay in a spare room for a while. I'll find a job… waiting on tables in crummy cafés if need be. All I know is that I need to get the hell away from here, I can't stay, and I don't belong here. All anyone here sees me as is a trouble maker, a city boy, an outsider, and I don't want to live like that. My bag is packed, ready and waiting under my bed. I just need a distraction, an excuse to stay away from the house for a while… so by the time my parents figure out I'm gone, I'll already be back in the city.

* * *

"Ok class, you can pack away. The bell will be ringing in a minute." Miss Impa says as she carefully rubs the marker from her white board.

The relaxed, laid back art class steadily gets louder as children scrape their stools along the tiled floor, packing their pencil cases as sketchbooks away into their school bags. I sit with Dark, the only other person in our group to have taken art, as I absent mindedly sketch in my book. The theme of today's lesson was 'Me, myself and I'. Our task was to create a piece of artwork that was part of who we are, something very important to us. So it's no surprise that my fingers had a mind of their own as they set to work, drawing out a city scape. It's a little secret of mine… but I actually finished my city scape a little bit earlier… so I set to work drawing a picture of the mortal Goddess. Since Groose's little stunt in the canteen, she's been back on my mind and I've just been itching to draw her. So my fingers got to work, drawing elegant lines, trying my best to portray the beauty of that flawless deity. The picture slowly started to take place. Yet as I sat back to examine the sketch from a different distance, the realization suddenly dawned on me… I had drawn Zelda as the mortal Goddess… At this point, Miss Impa called out to pack away. I swallow hard, hurriedly snapping my sketchbook shut and shoving it into my bag.

"You know," Dark says, zipping up his pencil case, "I saw that picture you drew!"

I swallow hard, trying to ignore the moisture forming on my brow. "You did?"

"Yeah!" He exclaims, "That picture of the city! Link, you're really good!"

I breathe a sigh of relief, grinning broadly as he claps me on the back. "Oh, thanks!"

"No problem," He replies. "So, are you coming to lunch? Or do you have to pick up rubbish still?"

"No…" I reply, shaking my head, allowing my hair to fall across my eyes a little. "That was only three lunchtimes."

"Great!" He says, "Come on then!"

I grab my satchel, slinging it over my shoulder as the two of us make for the door. The classroom is almost empty at this point, most people having already left. It's just Dark and me, heading towards exit.

"Hold on, Link," Miss Impa says, looking up from her desk. "Can I speak to you for a moment?"

I glance at her, a little confused. "Yeah, sure. I'll catch you later, Dark, ok?"

"Yeah," he replies, smiling. "I'll be in the canteen."

"Oh…" I say, "Get me some chilli, yeah?"

He nods, and with that, he heads towards the door. It slams shut behind him, leaving me alone in the classroom with Miss Impa. She lays her charcoal pencils down on the desk front of her as she leans on her hands. I cautiously approach her desk, my school shoes tapping a little against the tiled floor as she gives me a warm smile.

"Seeing as you've only just transferred here, Link," she begins, "I don't really know much about your art skills. Your old school didn't send over any previous work to give me an indication. So is there any chance I could see your work from today's lesson, just so I can get a rough idea of what level you're working at?"

"Umm… sure!" I reply, rummaging through my bag. My fingers curl on the metal ring-binder spine of my sketchpad. I carefully produce it, laying it down on the desk in front of her.

I watch as she carefully flips open the front cover. Her amber eyes study my sketches, the portraits of the characters from old legends, my city scapes, even my pictures of young Epona from the barn. She carefully turns each page, treating my book with respect, which makes me smile, especially after the way Groose threw it round.

"Link…" she says, examining my original sketch of the mortal Goddess. "This is very good… extremely good!"

"Thanks…" I mumble, rubbing my palm along the back of my neck as I feel all the blood rushing to my cheeks.

"Seriously," she says, flipping more pages, "You have a real talent here, Link."

"Thank-you…" I say feebly, despite the fact that I'm repeating myself. I'm really not sure what to say here… I've never really let anyone apart from my old art teacher and family see my work, and my family don't appear to pay much attention to it, they don't really care all that much about art. And now that someone's looking at all my sketches, I'm not really sure how to respond to the compliments.

She looks up, her amber eyes squinting, very pensive. "Link," she begins. "Have you ever considered pursuing this as a career?"

"A- a career?" I stammer, laughing nervously. "A person can't really make a career out of this sort of thing… can they?"

She shrugs a little, her braid swaying as she does so. "A person can't, no. But someone with your talent has a strong chance of making a name for themselves…"

I feel my eyes widen as she talks… it's something I've never thought about. A career? Me? A professional artist? She giggles a little as she sees my expression, and it's only then that I realise that there's a bright grin on my face.

"I'm not saying you have to start today," she says, "I just think you should definitely consider it as an option!"

"I will," I reply, a determined grin on my face "I promise."

* * *

The second I push open the door of the school canteen, I'm assaulted with an attack to the senses. My nostrils flare at the smell of the schools chilli, which is too spicy to be considered 'medium'. The sound of loud laughter, the clanking of cutlery, and teenage chatter fills the room as I scan around the sea of faces, trying to identify that familiar table. Finally, my eyes fall on Sheik, waving wildly from where he sits, devouring a bowl of chilli. I smile as I pick a path through the crowded canteen, being careful not to trip on the handles of people's bags. After everything Miss Impa said, I'm in a really good mood. It feels nice to know that there's someone backing me, someone who genuinely believes I can make it. I really appreciate everything she's done for me already, and I barely even know her. It means the world that she's taken the time to look through my work, to compliment me like she has… I've never felt more exalted.

"Hey Link," Zelda says, shuffling over to make room for me, "What are you looking so happy about?"

"Oh nothing…" I say, smirking.

Just at that moment, Dark makes his way over to the table, two bowls of chilli in his hands. He smiles as he passes one to me, laying a spoon down by its side. I give him my thanks as he settles in his seat next to Sheik.

"So," Midna says, flipping a page in her glossy magazine. "What are our plans for this weekend?"

"Just what I was about to mention!" Sheik says as he swallows his gulp of orange Fanta. "Our little sister Tetra is convinced that the barn next door to us is haunted, so she's refusing to go anywhere near it."

"So?" Midna asks, flipping her ponytail over her shoulder.

"So…" Sheik continues, "To stop her from being so scared, and because it should be a lot of fun, I say we go sleep out in the barn on Saturday night!"

My ears suddenly prick up… a camp out? That could be the perfect opportunity for me to sneak away without anyone noticing. I'd bring my bags; mum wouldn't think anything of it… then when everyone else is sleeping: I sneak away, and catch a bus into town… I could get the train from there… what could possibly go wrong?

"That sounds great!" I reply.

"Yes!" Sheik exclaims, drawing his fist in as celebration. "Who else is in?"

"Go on then!" Zelda says, laughing.

"Definitely!" Dark adds.

Midna rolls her eyes. "Fine, but if it's cold, I'm blaming you Sheik!"

I frown as I glance around out table… I can't help but notice that Dark's girlfriend hasn't said anything yet… and as I look around, I realise she's not even with us. I sit in deep thought for a moment, unable to remember her name.

"Hey, Dark," I mutter. "Where's your girlfriend?"

Everyone else begins laughing uncontrollably, Midna's face is turning red as she giggles and Sheik begins to choke on his chilli, sending saliva covered kidney beans all along the table. Zelda grimaces as she grabs a napkin, setting to work cleaning up the mess strewn over out table. But my mind is still buzzing with questions. What are they all laughing at? Is it because I forgot her name? Is there some kind of inside joke that I'm missing?

"What?" I ask, looking around in confusion. "What's so funny?"

Dark frowns, "Who are you talking about?"

"Your girlfriend!" I reply, "You know, the one with the green hair?"

"Saria?" He queries, as his friends make no attempt to hide their giggles. "She's not my girlfriend! And she's at book club."

I frown. "But, it looked like-"

"Oh Link!" Sheik says, tapping my shoulder comfortingly. "Here's the thing with Dark and Saria, he likes her, she likes him, but neither of them will dare to admit it!"

I nod understandingly; I guess that would make sense. I never actually saw them kissing, holding hands, or even so much as putting their arms around each other. It was just the longing, loving looks in their eyes, which perfectly fits Sheik's theory. I join in on the laughter as I begin spooning chilli from the bowl into my mouth. Eventually, the laughter dies down a little, falling into peaceful silence on our table. Though Dark still looks a little wound up about the situation.

"I DO NOT LIKE SARIA!" He exclaims a little too loudly, earning him a few odd glances from other people in the room.

Midna giggles uncontrollably. "You kind of just proved Sheik's point…"

* * *

The school corridors are crowded, bustling full of kids that can't seem to grasp basic social skills. Between the shoving, the yelling, and the throwing of possessions, it's clear to see these kids never learnt the Highway Code. I grimace as I have to force myself between two first years, trying to shove through to get to my form room. Zelda is just behind me, trying to force her way along the corridors with a naive smile look on her face. I've never really noticed it before now… but she's actually very attractive. I can see why guys could like her, if you look past her irritating politeness and goody-goody-two-shoes personality. Her long blonde hair always seems to be in perfect place, even if it's just tied roughly back, and her freckles could be considered cute. The thing that really catches my attention though, is her eyes. At first glance, they appeared blue. But the more I look, the more colours I see. It's a concoction of turquoise, cerulean, lilac and aqua, with tiny azure flecks near to the pupils, it's really quite stunning.

She lets out a relieved sigh as we stumble away from the crowds, nearing the exit to the main building. I reach out, pushing open the heavy metal door for her, allowing her to pass out into the playground. I follow, watching from behind as she starts briskly walking towards our form room. I'd be lying if I told you that everything seemed alright. She's been acting a little strange this lunch time. She didn't join in on any of the jokes about Dark and Saria, and barely even contributed to our discussion about the old, supposedly 'haunted' barn. She kept her head down, focusing on her English homework, but it didn't escape my attention that she hadn't eaten a mouthful. Not to mention, the fact that she barely made eye contact with me was a little discouraging. And I wasn't the only one to notice either, Sheik kept giving her odd looks too. I sigh, maybe I should try talking to her about it?

I carefully reach out, gently taking her elbow in my hand and turning her to face me. She stops dead in her tracks, a little surprised, though her stunning eyes stare right past me.

"Link, what are you doing?" She asks.

"Are you ok?" I query, leaning a little closer.

She gives out a nervous laugh. "I'm fine, Link! Now come on, let's get to registration."

She tries to turn away, but I take her arm again, stopping her. "Zelda, please don't lie to me. I haven't known you for long, but that doesn't mean I don't know when something's up…"

She looks down at her feet, appearing a little crest fallen. She swallows hard, taking a deep breath as she looks up again. "Let's not talk about this now, ok?"

I frown, what could possibly be wrong that she couldn't tell me? I understand that she's upset… but doesn't talking about this kind of thing help? I chew the inside of my cheek as I stare into those complex eyes of hers, though she only watches the floor. Something is definitely up, and I want to find out what. I know I was kind of an ass to her when I first arrived, and all her friends, but I promised myself I wouldn't judge anyone. Right now, she needs my help, and I intend to give it to her. At the very least… I want to cheer her up.

"Hey Zelda," I murmur, as I pull open the leather cover of my bag. I rummage through my textbooks, worksheets, and ring binders, allowing my fingers to finally fall on my sketchbook. I carefully produce the small leather bound book, holding it up and flipping through the pages. Eventually, I find the one I'm looking for. It's the most recent entry, drawn just before lunch… that beautiful mortal Goddess.

"This just stays between you and me," I say, turning the book around and handing it to her. "But I wanted your opinion… what do you think?"

I watch in silence as she carefully takes the book. She studies the sketch with those deep, complex eyes, her fingers gliding over the soft line work, being careful not to smudge the pencil. Her eyes read confusion, a little hope, and the faint smile tugging at her lips is hard to ignore.

"Is that… me?" She asks, her voice rising a little at the end.

I smile, "I didn't mean it to be… but yeah, it ended up that way."

She laughs softly, her giggles sounding a little like the gentle tingle of a bell. I can't help but smile. Despite my earlier thoughts on her… this girl could really be someone special. I watch in silence as she closes the book, softly pressing the pages together as she hands it back to me, still smiling.

"I like it, Link," She says, "You've got a real talent… but you've made me too beautiful."

"So," I reply, ignoring her last comment as I carefully slip the sketchbook back into my satchel. "Do you feel like talking now?"

She laughs, a smile tugging at her cheeks as she reaches out one warm hand, carefully resting it on my cheek as she gives it a fond stroke. "Not even a little bit."


	8. The Barn Sleep-out

**Ok, it's time I answered a few questions from the reviews!  
****A B&B is an abbreviation for a bed and breakfast! It's a type of hotel, usually found in the countryside and usually run by a family or a couple! They're normally in large houses with lots of bedrooms that the owners rent out to holiday makers! I hope that makes sense, send me a PM if you're still confused!  
The 'two finger gesture' I mentioned in chapter six is an English swear. I don't know if you have it elsewhere, but it is just like putting up your middle finger!  
For the reviewer who asked about where they could get a copy of Hyrule Historia, I brought mine on Amazon online, but it's come out as one of the best sellers for this month so you should be able to get it in any large book store!  
And one thing many of you have asked me is: What's a canteen? Simple answer... and English lunch room! Kind of like what I think American's call a cafeteria! Ahh the problems with national dialect...  
Don't be afraid to ask me questions in the reviews! I will happily answer them for you!**

**Anyway! I have to say thanks some lovely people for their reviews! That's iranda20, TheMysteriousDude, CreCra, Hanyoualchemist1, Franne, ShadowNinja1011, ShadowMario3, Azulhada, Bleachshowlover1, ScootinJackMcCue, Neez, Guest, PrincesscharmingKnight, Mrperson01, Screen, and Nuclear Chick!**

**Thank you to Princess Zelda-figure skater for beta reading!  
**

* * *

My possessions are all packed, tucked away into my large sports holdall. My clothes, some food, all my art materials, and some photographs of my family are all folded and squashed until they fit into that holdall. I managed to bundle my sleeping bag into another bag, and I now I think I'm just about ready. I made sure I planned this all out perfectly. It's very simple, I spend the evening with the country kids in the barn, laugh along with them, act friendly. Then once the darkness falls and they all drift asleep, I sneak away. I walk to the village bus stop, and from there, catch a bus into town. I've even taken the liberty of checking the bus times and routes to make sure I can get away as conveniently as possible. From town, I walk down to the train station, and from there, catch the three o'clock train into Castle Town. By the time those country kids wake up, I'll be long gone, and my parents won't know until it's too late.

I smile contentedly to myself as I put all my force into zipping up that sports holdall. As I manage to close it up, I grin, placing my hands on my hips. This is perfect; my parents won't suspect a thing with this large holdall. We're sleeping outside, they'll think it's all just necessary, especially knowing how much my mum always packs. My plan is perfect, fool proof. Just think of it this way, Link: This time tomorrow, you'll be back in the city, back where you belong, walking those streets you know so well. And you'll never have to set foot in the countryside again.

I clamber up from where I sat on my bed and grab my green converses from the corner of the room. This pair is decorated with the mark of the Kokiri, the forest tribe, and the symbol of Farore. Along with the three triangles of the triforce, the one symbolising courage coloured in. It takes me a minute, but eventually, I manage to loop its dusty white laces into a knot. And with that, I haul the large sports holdall up from the bed. Gripping its straps tight in my fist, I make for my bedroom door.

I guess I'm willing to admit that there might be a couple of things I miss when I'm gone… the two blond twins really aren't that bad, especially when you get to know them better. And Dark, Saria, and Midna are reasonably nice people too. I'll miss hanging out with them like I have every day this week, but I suppose you have to sacrifice some things to allow yourself to grow. I'll never forget about young Epona though… she's been the most lovable little foal I've ever seen. It's been really fun to feed her twice a day, every day, to take care of her like a child. Even in just the short window I've known her, I've already drawn countless sketches of that lovable little horse. Who knows? Maybe I'll come back to visit her someday.

The thick rubber soles of my converses make a hollow thudding sound as I make my way down the spiralled staircase, running my hands along the wood of the banister as I go. It's been a nice learning curve, staying here, but I can't make this my permanent home, it's just not me. As I near the bottom of the staircase, I can hear loud voices in the next room. I frown… who's there? And why are they arguing? I hold my breath as I tiptoe closer to the kitchen, trying my best not to make a sound. I grip the wooden handle, and carefully pull open the kitchen door so I can hear what's being said.

"It doesn't matter what way you look at it," comes my mother's voice, "The fact of the matter is: there isn't enough money!"

I can hear my dad sighing exasperatedly, accompanied by the shuffling of papers. "What if we pull a little more money from the family budget? That could free up some space!"

"No!" Mum suddenly shouts. "I'm having a baby! This will be our THIRD child! Do you really think we can raise three kids on that amount?"

Three kids… that won't be a problem when I'm gone. With no third child to look after, they can put all my money into caring for my new little brother or sister, as well as Aryll. It never really occurred to me before, but it works out perfectly. The more I allow myself to think about it… the pit forming in my stomach deepens. Would they be happier with me out of the picture? It would certainly be easier for them to get by without a sarcastic, grumpy, begrudging teenager on their hands. The farmhouse isn't ready yet… and we certainly don't have enough room for a baby here in the B&B. Maybe if I wasn't here… they'd be better off? The very thought makes my stomach churn… my family don't really think that way about me, do they?

"What about the farmhouse?" Mum asks. "Do you really need to do these repairs now? Couldn't they wait?"

There's a long silence, and I can hear my dad's brown leather shoes shuffling along the floor. He's probably making a cup of tea… it's something he always does when he's worried. "I guess we could…" he eventually says, "But the longer we put it off, the longer we have to stay in the B&B," I can hear him removing the kettle from its stand and running the tap. "That money is just going to keep piling up! Plus, I don't want to be a nuisance to the Harkinians."

There's another long pause as dad puts the kettle back and clicks it on. Mum doesn't say a word, and Dad is just waiting for her to reply. I begin subconsciously chewing my lip… what the hell is going on? I can't see or hear a thing! After a few more moments of silence, I decide that I can't wait any longer. I hold my breath, carefully pulling the door open and pressing my eye up against the gap. The scene is clear to see. Mum sits at the kitchen table, a pile of official looking papers spread out in front of her, along with a scribbled list from dad, and a small calculator. Her hair is tied roughly back into a ponytail, and she anxiously strokes her baby bump, her face creased with concern. Dad stands next to the counter by the window, just in front of the kettle. He's carefully laying two mugs down on the counter and putting a tea bag into each. His glasses are steaming a little, and I can't tell if it's from the frustration or the kettle. He lets out a deep sigh, removing the thin rimmed spectacles and wiping their lenses on his favourite old brown and orange striped jumper. It's a little disheartening to see both my parents looking so worried. Money's never really been a problem before. Obviously, we've never really been a rich family, but we've always managed to get by. There's been enough money to pay the rent and buy us some food and occasionally a new piece of furniture or a nice birthday present for me or Aryll. But now as I stare at my parents, it's clear to see that there's a problem. I've never seen them looking so stressed, and frankly, so old. The stress makes them look tired, worn out, and I don't like the feeling of pity I get watching them.

There's a loud pop, and I'm dragged from my thought patterns by the kettle announcing that it's finished boiling. Dad begins pouring the hot water into the two mugs, and mum lets out a sigh.

"We can't avoid this darling… we're going to need to cut some corners somewhere." Mum says, examining the pages.

Suddenly, I hear a door close behind me and loud laughter, from a boy and a girl, the twins. Oh no… I hurriedly whizz around, trying to tell them to shh, my eyes wide with urgency, but it's already too late.

"Hey Link!" Sheik exclaims, grinning. "What are you doing?"

I sigh, letting my shoulders slump as the two blond teenagers come to a stop in front of me. It's too late, my cover's blown. I cast my eyes up, looking at the two people stood in front of me. Sheik holds a large black backpack, slung carelessly over his shoulders. His hair is a little curlier than usual, which leads me to think that he didn't bother blow drying it after his last wash. He's dressed in black jeans, and a white shirt with the Triforce of wisdom in gold print on it. He gives me a bright smile, completely clueless that he just ruined my snooping.

Zelda pushes past him, giggling as she walks up to me. She reaches up her arms, wrapping them around my neck and pulling me into a tight hug. I frown, glancing up at her brother, but he just gives me a confused shrug. Zelda's never really hugged me before… she's friendly, to say the least. Her body is warm, and her golden hair smells of honeysuckle and jasmine. I close my eyes, letting that beautiful scent fill my nostrils. That is, until I hear a loud cough, and suddenly, I snap my eyes open. Sheik is giving me a funny look, eyebrows raised. And that's when I realise that I'm meant to be hugging her back, not just standing here looking gormless as I sniff her hair. I smile, wrapping my arms around her slender waist. The fabric of her pink top is soft to the touch, and feels comfortable against the bare skin on my arms.

Eventually we break apart, and I'm given the chance to take in Zelda's appearance. She isn't wearing a dress, like she usually does. Instead, she is clad in a pink short sleeved polo shirt with a tiny mark of the Goddess on the upper left hand side, along with soft beige trousers and brown leather boots. She gives me a bright smile, those beautifully complex eyes shining. She holds a dark pink drawstring bag in one hand, and in the other, a rolled up sleeping bag tied with two pieces of turquoise ribbon.

"Are you ready to go?" She asks, beaming.

I give her a smile, and reply. "Yup! Let me just say goodbye to my parents."

"Sure!" Sheik says, hitching his bag a little straighter on his back. The three of us make our way into the kitchen where my mum and dad are now sat, looking much calmer, sipping their cups of tea. I can't help but notice how the sheets of paper that were previously scattered over the table are now neatly piled up. Mum has a bright smile on her face, but I know it's not genuine. Dad crosses his legs at the shins, giving us a smile.

"Are you kids off now?" He asks.

"Yeah, I'll see you tomorrow, ok?" I reply, swallowing my pride, because I know that I won't be seeing them for a while.

Mum grins, getting to her feet and wandering over to us. "Have you packed plenty of layers?" She asks me.

I laugh a little, rolling my eyes. "Yes mum!"

"Good," she smiles, "I don't want my little boy getting cold!"

"Mu-um!" I whine, though it's fond. I think I may even miss her fussing over me when I'm gone… she stoops down, planting a small kiss on my cheek, and I don't even have the heart to swat her away.

"You kids have fun!" Dad says, raising his mug a little as we proceed towards the front door, waving goodbye. I steal one last glance at my parents, trying to preserve the memory in the back of my mind. Damn it Link, stop getting so sentimental. It's not like you're never going to see them again, you can always come back to visit. I give them one last bright smile, before closing the front door behind me. I let out a deep breathe, ok, let's get this thing started.

* * *

The barn looks like it could have jumped straight out of a picture book. It's tall, made of wood, with huge wooden doors that looks like they could fit a tractor through them. I feel a little humbled by the sheer size of the barn, but Sheik and Zelda are marching forward like it doesn't matter to them. I swallow hard, following them. One gigantic wooden door is already swung open… I guess we weren't the first to arrive. Hay spills out of the open doorway, and I can hear loud laughter coming from inside as we near the entrance.

"Hey! Look who's here!" Dark exclaims, grinning as he sees us make our way in.

"Hey Dark," Sheik replies, greeting him with a high five.

I carefully look around at my surroundings. The barn is large, and the ceiling reaches up high above us. It's surprisingly warm in here, especially considering the time of year, but I guess it must be well insulated. A thin layer of hay covers the ground, making it softer to walk on, but impossible to do so silently. There's bales and bales of hay stacked up all along the back wall of the barn, and I can already see that someone has clambered up to the top, marking their prize by putting a very small teddy bear on the uppermost bale. I glance up at the ceiling, and it's clear to see that there are sky lights in the room, casting long golden rays of sunshine into the barn that illuminate the space. Dark and Saria are already sat around the middle, building a small campfire out of wooden sticks and old tree branches. I'm relieved to see they've cleared all the straw from this area, reducing any chance of us setting the whole barn on fire. Their sleeping bags are already laid out, heads facing towards each other, ready for us to lay ours out in the right place to make a small star shape with the campfire in the centre.

"Where's Midna?" Sheik asks, dropping his sleeping bag down next to Saria's.

"She hasn't arrived yet," Saria replies, setting to work helping Zelda to untie her sleeping bag.

I frown, still staring at the tiny green velvet teddy bear sat on top of all the bales of hay. "Whose teddy bear is that?" I ask.

Saria sighs, rolling her eyes. "It's mine… it fell out of my suitcase. Dark saw it and thought it would be funny to put it somewhere I couldn't reach."

Dark chortles to himself, sitting down cross legged on his sleeping bag. I allow myself to grin, laying out my navy blue sleeping bag next to his, giving him a celebratory fist bump. Just at that moment, a tall shadow appears in the light of the doorway. We all look up, turning to see Midna stood over us all, smirking proudly.

"Don't worry, you can all relax now! Midna is here, fashionably late as usual!" She says, resting her hand on one hip as she grins at us all.

"Midna!" Zelda exclaims, jumping to her feet and running over. She wraps her friend up in a tight hug, leaving me feeling a little disheartened. I guess I'm not the only one she greets like that. Mind you… she didn't hug Dark, or Saria… I shake my head a little, snapping my attention back to Midna. She's ready dressed in a thick grey hoodie, with pictures of the Indigo-Go's on the front, and skinny black jeans, along with red leopard print wellington boots. A large red backpack is slung over her left shoulder, and a sleeping back is rolled up, tucked underneath her right arm.

"So," she says, sauntering over to the campfire. "What are we doing first?"

* * *

The barn is warm, comfortable, and smells of toasted marshmallows. I glance around at the group of teenagers, all of whom are basked in a subtle orange glow, illuminated by the flickering campfire. Each of us holds a wooden stick, toasting a marshmallow in the bright flames. The low level chatter and occasional giggles of this group of people, along with the crackling of bracken being burnt to a crisp are the only noises to be heard in the barn. From outside, owls hoot and there's the occasional pad of fox paws or the flutter of wings, but overall, the night is quiet and peaceful.

"Oh shoot!" Sheik mutters, withdrawing his marshmallow on a stick from the fire. His marshmallow has caught alight, and the sugary candy is dripping onto the floor, the fire slowly spreading down the stick.

"Sheik!" Zelda exclaims.

He quickly drops the stick to the ground, allowing it to clatter on the stone flooring. He jumps to his feet, stamping on the tiny flaming pile with his size nine brown walking boots, until eventually, the fire falls to just a black smouldering pile of gloop and splinters. Midna is giggling as Sheik stoops down, collecting the gloopy mess with a miserable pout on his face.

"You idiot, Sheik!" Zelda says fondly, smiling as she nibbles at her toasted marshmallow.

"So, now we've got some toasted marshmallows… what do we want to do?" I ask, looking around at the group of teenagers. They're all huddled in their sleeping bags to keep them warm against the cold night outside. Midna has a thick woollen scarf wrapped around her neck, and Dark is even wearing his coat. I watch the pensive expressions pass over all of their faces, until finally Sheik grins.

"Let's tell ghost stories!" Sheik exclaims. "I've got a really good one!"

"Ooh…" Midna grins, rubbing her hands together. "I love ghost stories!"

"NO!" Zelda yells, holding her hands out in front of her, fingers outstretched. "We're not doing ghost stories! If you tell ghost stories, I won't get a wink of sleep!"

"Oh poor little baby!" Sheik mimics, throwing his now slightly burnt stick at his twin sister, who squeals as she tries to dodge it.

Sheik sighs, collecting his torch from where it lies beside his bed. He carefully flicks on the power, and shines the beam of light into his face, shadowing his features in a chilling manor.

"Ok, so… it was a dark and foggy night." He begins, "The frost was just setting in over Twilight manor, and the land was just falling silent. In the uppermost room of the manor, high in the loft, a young boy was looking at all his lately deceased father's old possessions. He came across an old record player, it was made of old rosewood, and had a strange old record already inside. He-"

"LA LA LA LA LA LA LA!" Zelda sings. I frown, switching my attention to her. She's sat in her sleeping bag, her fingers plugged into her ears, eyes screwed shut as she loudly sings. Midna sighs, grabbing her pillow and whacking her best friend across the face with it, causing Zelda to stop abruptly, giving Midna her worst look.

"I don't like horror stories!" She whines, throwing her hands beside her in a childish strop.

"Well do you have a better idea of what we can do?" Sheik asks, raising one eyebrow.

"Actually… yes!" She says, smirking proudly. She turns her attention to me, her long blonde hair shifting where it lies on her shoulders. "Link, did you bring all your art stuff?" She asks.

I swallow hard, feeling all eyes swivel to me. My heart begins pounding in my chest, pumping my blood faster through my veins. What is she doing? Why is she doing this? I can feel my face heating up as the group of teenagers all stare at me, waiting for me to respond. What does she want me to do? I can't show them all my artwork… I'm not ready for that kind of revelation yet. What if they think that it's funny? What if Sheik decides that drawing is girly or stupid? I'd feel like a right idiot. Right now my cheeks are burning, they're probably hot enough to fry an egg on them… what do I do? I'm trying my best to answer, but my words keep getting lost in my throat, leaving me to just gormlessly open and close my mouth like a goldfish.

"Yeah…" Dark says, grinning at me. "Link, you're amazing at sketching! Why don't you show us your work?"

"Uhh… I… uhh…" I stutter, trying to come up with an excuse, a reason why I can't do it. Yet my mind can only manage to draw blanks.

"Or even if you don't want to show us your work, will you at least draw one of us?" Zelda asks, her eyes shining in the light of the fire.

I sigh, a small smile beginning to form at the corners of my mouth. I'm really quite flattered… they think I'm good, really good… as I begin searching through my bag for my sketch book and pencils, there's a small thought dancing in the corners of my mind. Are they my friends? I'm not really sure to be honest… I never had real friends at my old school. Obviously there were people I talked to in lessons, some people were nice to me, but they were never really my friends. As fun as it was being in the art room every lunch time, it did get a little bit lonely. It was hard to get through my time at school without any real friends. But these guys, they're different. We hang out a lot, we make jokes with each other, complement each other… and I don't think I've ever been as comfortable or open around people as I am with these guys. They accepted me, despite what a total ass I was to them at first… I'm really going to miss them when I leave.

"So," I say, flipping open my sketch pad and picking out fairly soft pencil. "Who should I draw?"

"Draw me!" Sheik exclaims, eagerly raising his hand as he chomps a mouthful of marshmallow. I smile, feeling a small laugh spread through me as I touch my pencil to the paper, setting to work by drawing an initial skeleton. Everyone watches me, their eyes piercing my skin. I stop abruptly, looking up.

"This may take some time, guys…"


	9. Ghost Stories

**Your reviews are too adorable for words! Seriously, you're all so lovely! Big thank you to TheMysteriousDude, Hanyoualchemist1, Not-Alone-Anymore, LeilaEditer, Emzy, ShadowNinja1011, CreCra, ShadowMario3, Christmasloot, Mrperson01, Bleachshowlover1, Franne, Neez, Joyma, Azulhada, GameCivilization, Screen, prettyguardianofhyrule, ScootinJackMcCue, and zeldahope9!**

**Thank you to Princess Zelda-figure skater for beta reading!**

* * *

_**Sheik's POV:**_

The barn around me is now dark. The skies have fallen into velvety blackness, leaving only the moon to cast long white eerie shadows through the sky lights in the roof. The camp fire has subdued too, now just a faint orange glow radiating from the smouldering pile of cinders. The air around us is cold, causing me to snuggle a little deeper into my sleeping bag where I sit, talking to my group of friends. They all watch me with widened eyes and open mouths. Other than the moonlight streaming through the sky lights and the remainders of the camp fire, the only real illumination in the room comes from the torch in my hand. I hold it up to my face, allowing the rays to cast pools of colour and shadow over my face. I cast my gaze around, studying the horrified expressions of each of my friends in turn. My final gaze falls onto Zelda, whose mouth hangs open in shock and horror.

"And still to this day, if any poor soul were to set foot into Twilight Manor, you could still hear that gentle music, the soft sound of those hauntingly beautiful instruments. Only now… the sorrowful sound of the violin plays too, and the silent weeps of that poor young boy remain forever unknown to any who dare to enter the manor…" I whisper, my voice gentle and serious as I conclude my story. Dark shivers where he lies, and I swear I can see Link smiling. Flasc hlights flicker on around us as my friends turn on their torches, trying to calm their racked nerves.

"Sheik…" Midna mutters, "That was spine chilling, nice story!"

"Yeah…" Saria murmurs, rolling her eyes. "I didn't need to sleep tonight!"

I poke my tongue out at her, feeling secretly a little proud of myself for telling such a scary story. I heard it a few months ago when I was searching the internet for old fashioned ghost stories. Though I've never been able to get myself interested in any books we have to study for our literature class, I've always had a fascination with horror stories. There's something so fun about spooking yourself out, especially when it spooks your friends too. I've found that scary movies aren't all that thrilling; they rely too much on the element of shock, in the hopes of making their audience jump. Yet, I find the real horror lies in the imagination, what you allow yourself to think. And that's something films just can't give you…

I turn to look at Midna, watching as she gives me a thrilled smile… I guess she liked my story too. It's no secret that Midna's a horror-lover too, and I've always found that really cool about her. She's not girly like the rest of the girls I know, she's feminine, but without screaming and squealing and wearing fancy pink clothes all the time. Don't get me wrong, I love Zelda, but sometimes her girlyness can get a little sickening. And that's why I like hanging out with Midna, she's cool and calm and collected. Watching horror films with her back to back one Saturday night a couple of months ago is one of the best memories I've ever had… I could have sworn that night I was going to kiss her… but I never could quite summon up the courage. Truth of the matter is, I think I might be falling for her… but I don't want to screw this up, I've been playing it safe. I'm just waiting for the right moment to tell her exactly how I feel.

"So," I say, turning to look at Link. "Have you finished with that sketch yet? I really want to see!"

He laughs, looking a little taken aback. "Yeah… I finished it ages ago!"

He flashes his torch around, using it to look all around his sleeping bag until he finally finds his sketchbook. He then picks it up, noisily flipping through the pages until he comes to the most recent picture, before handing the book to me. I carefully take it, shining my torch onto the page and allowing my eyes to scan the image laid out before me. I can only think of one word to summarise this piece of work… remarkable. The figure stood on the page, in loose denim jeans and a Sheikah-marked t-shirt, looks almost identical to me. His hair falls messily over his eyes, and the shading work on the facial features is impeccable. I'm astonished by the confidence oozing from the line work and the texture he's added with light pencils. He's got every detail perfect… even down to the crooked smirk I pull whenever I manage to wind up one of my friends.

"Link…" I whisper, "This is awesome…"

He laughs a little, his chest moving as he does. "Thanks, Sheik."

"No problem, buddy." I reply, handing the book back to him. For a second I swear I can see a smile spread over his face. But before I can get a closer look, a loud snuffling sound erupts from outside the barn, catching us all by surprise and making me jump.

"Oh my Goddess…" Zelda breathes, "It's the father of the little boy… he left the record player!"

I can't help but laugh at the panicked look on my twin sister's face. I can't get enough of horror stories; however, Zelda on the other hand, is too easily scared. She couldn't even watch 'Scream' without hiding behind the sofa. And when I got her to read some old Ghost stories from Faron woods, she didn't sleep properly for a week. I love Zelda to pieces, and if anyone hurts her, I'll kick their ass faster than they can say 'sorry', but she's such a scaredy-cat when it comes to horror stories.

"Relax Zelda," Midna smiles. "It's probably just a fox or something!"

Suddenly the snuffling stops; and we all listen in tense silence as we hear padding all around the barn. Zelda reaches out, gripping my hand tight and squeezing the knuckles until they crack. But I don't dare to complain, it's kind of my fault she's so terrified. I know what she's like with ghost stories, I probably shouldn't have told her that story about the old record player, and especially not when we're spending the night in a barn. Suddenly, a loud scratching, pawing noise comes from the barn door. Zelda lets out a loud squeal of fright, jumping to her feet and dashing over to sit next to me. I sigh, wrapping my arms around her and pulling her into a tight hug, just like I used to when we were little and she had a bad dream. I begin gently stroking her golden hair, rocking her back and forth.

"It's ok Zel," Saria says, giving her friend a comforting smile. "It's probably just a fox or something!"

"Or a lycanthropic beast…" Link jokes, chuckling away to himself. As Zelda tenses in my arms, I suddenly remember that Link doesn't know how scared Zelda gets… I swallow hard, giving him an urgent look, shaking my head. He looks down, almost seeming a little guilty. It's not his fault… he didn't know.

After a moment or two the scratching noises eventually die out, and I hear the soft pad of paws fade away, the fox is obviously leaving. Zelda relaxes a little in my arms, obviously calming down a bit now that the noises have stopped. But as I try to remove my arms from around her, she grips tighter onto me, now shivering with fear. She doesn't want to be alone… of course she wouldn't. I run my fingers through her hair comfortingly, turning to look down at her.

Zelda looks over to Midna, who's watching us carefully. "How do we know if it's gone?" Zelda asks.

"I'm sure it is Zellie…" I murmur, gently kissing the top of her head.

"Do you want me to go out and look?" Midna asks, slowly tilting her head to the left.

Zelda curls her lips a little, pulling just a fraction away from me. "Would you mind?"

"Of course not," Midna replies, getting to her feet and pulling her wellie boots on. I watch as she shrugs her coat over her shoulders, before turning to look at me. "Come on then Sheik!" She says.

I frown, "Me?" I ask, though my heart is beginning to thud a little faster, hopeful.

"Yes!" She exclaims, "I'm not going out there on my own!"

I nod, giving Zelda a tight squeeze, before getting to my feet. My sister sighs, curling up into a tight ball as she wraps her blanket around her shivering body. Bless her… she doesn't mean to get so scared, it's my fault really. I hurriedly pull my brown walking boots onto my feet, desperate to finish a quick scout around outdoors and then get back to the warmth and comfort of my own sleeping bag. Midna watches me in silence as I pull my coat on, before giving her a sharp nod. This is it Sheik, this is your chance…

"We'll be back in a minute Zelda, ok?" I say, giving her one last comforting stroke on the back, before grabbing my torch and making my way over to the barn door with Midna. The hay covering the floor of the barn makes a small rustling sound as I proceed on my path. Midna shivers a little, burying her hands deep into the pockets of her coat as I reach out, taking the cold iron bar that locks the door. With a quick twist and a pull, the door is swinging open. The two of us proceed out into the cold winter night, closing the door behind us with a click.

Midna stands next to me, shivering in her own coat as I turn, taking in the scene around me. The sky is a deep, dark blue colour, almost black as the clouds swirl over it. Tiny stars prick through the thin clouds, and the large white moon hanging in the sky casts a silvery light over everything. I carefully examine the trees. Their dry, knotted, branches climb high into the sky, looking a little like clenched fingers searching for something just out of their reach. The leaves have long fallen off these trees, leaving them to cast a dark silhouette against the velvet midnight sky.

"Creepy, huh?" Midna mutters, staring at the trees with her bold, blood red eyes.

"Yeah…" I sigh. "Let's just go for a quick walk around the barn and then head back into the warm, ok?"

She grins, rubbing her hands together. "Sounds like a plan!"

And with that we take off, our heavy footwear thudding against the dry dusty pathway. I'm willing to admit that it's much scarier walking around the farm at night… I've been here a thousand times during the day time. I remember last autumn we brought all our friends around here and we all played hide and seek. It was never anything special to me, just another piece of farm land. Yet at night time, with the occasional hoot of owls and the shuffling of wildlife, accompanied by the dark shadows of the plants, it's really rather chilling.

To the left of us, a loud shuffling noise is suddenly heard, catching me by surprise. My heart leaps inside my chest as I whiz around, shining my torch into the bushes. At first I can find nothing… just thin twisted branches and old tree trunks. Yet as I slowly move my torch around, two amber pricks of light are suddenly reflected from my torch, making my heart stop for just a second. Midna tenses a little, and I feel her icy cold hand take mine as she lets out a yelp of fear. I squeeze her hand tight, letting her know it's ok as my eyes focus, realising it's just fox watching us from the hedgerows.

"It's alright Midna," I say, breathing a sigh of relief. "It's a fox… see? That's probably all that Zelda heard…"

"Yeah…" she agrees, though her voice is wavering. I'm expecting her to let go of my hand, but her grip remains as we continue walking around the large barn, approaching the back of it. She must just be scared Sheik, that's all it is... don't overthink this! I can't tell if it's the fear of the spooky night, the adrenaline pumping through me, or the beautiful girl holding my hand, but my heart is thudding harder than ever before.

At that moment, there's a loud hooting sound, and before I know what's happening, a large shadow is approaching us. I feel a loud yell rip from my throat. I quickly drop Midna's hand, gripping her by the waist as I pull us both down, away from that creature. My back collides with the wooden wall of the barn with a loud thump as I gaze up ahead of me; just catching the figure of a bird of prey as it swoops away, screeching. I look away, turning my attention to Midna; who's watching the large bird with wide eyes.

"It's ok…" I breathe, trying to give her a smile. "I think we might just be near her nest… she's probably just protecting her young…"

"Yeah," Midna replies, though she doesn't sound particularly certain about the matter. She turns to me, her eyes sparkling in the light of the bright moon. "Thanks Sheik…" She whispers.

I give her arm a gentle squeeze. "Hey," I say, "What are friends for?"

What the hell did I just say? Why would I say that? What the hell is wrong with me? Six months… I've liked this girl for six months and then I just go and shoot myself in the foot. Nice going there, smooth-talker. I just earned myself a one way ticket to the friend zone. I watch as Midna stares at me, her red eyes saddening a little as she glances down… hold on… is she disappointed? Is it at all possible that hearing the word 'friend' disappointed her? She doesn't want to be more than friends… does she? Stop it Sheik, you're kidding yourself. I'm just trying to change the situation so it works out the way I want to it to… If I let myself do it, I'm only going to get my hopes up.

"Sheik…" She whispers.

"Yes?"

And then something happens that makes me realise that I wasn't kidding myself. That maybe, all this time, I wasn't just imagining the connections between us, the little looks she gave me, and the secret smiles... She reaches out one hand, carefully cupping my cheek in it and slowly closing her eyes. She leans forward, and I close my eyes too, letting her soft lips touch mine. The kiss is bursting with so many things: the adrenaline of the cold, the blossoming of a new romance, and the taste of the delicious raspberry lip balm she uses… It's everything I always thought it would be, and it's suddenly so clear in my mind that Midna Shard is so much more than just another girl to me…

The kiss is short, brief, only lasting for a few seconds. But as she pulls away, we've both got large grins plastered on our faces. I know that she felt it all too, I realise how she's wanted to do that for a long time now… as much as I have. That kiss was everything I wanted it to be… it was utterly perfect.

"Well?" She asks, a twang of nervous hope in her voice.

I smile. "Midna… do you want to go get a coffee sometime?"

* * *

The barn is quiet as I reach out, gripping the cold metal lock. I twist it upwards and slide it over to the left, allowing me to push open the heavy wooden door, holding it open for Midna. She makes her way in, allowing the warmth of the barn to wash over her as she smiles contentedly. I'm honestly quite nervous right now. Could they have heard us? Will they be able to tell that we kissed? I don't think I look any different, and I don't remember Midna wearing any lipstick. You can't see when your friends have kissed someone… can you?

I turn, looking at my group of friends who all sit or lie, crowded around the fire. Dark and Saria are having a lengthy, in-depth conversation about music and acoustic guitars. Discussing the likes of Frank Turner and Ben Marwood as she plays with the pick around his neck… I can't blame Link for thinking that they were a couple. They need to get their act together and officialise their romance… mind you, I'm one to talk. I glance over at Midna, she's shrugging her coat off from her shoulders and dropping it down next to her wellie boots. She pads through the barn in her fluffy lilac socks and clambers back into her sleeping bag. Her eyes lock onto mine as she gives me a sparkling smile… and I know in that moment that she feels exactly as I do. I give her a slow nod, hoping that she'll get my message, to my luck, she nods back.

"Well?" Zelda asks, looking up from where she rests against Link. She's lying back on him, and he has his arms looped around her neck like a scarf. I can't help but notice the way he softly strokes her long golden hair… it almost looks tender. I suddenly snap my attention back to my sister's question, realising that I was staring off into space as I pondered my thoughts.

"Did you find any ghosts or monsters?" Link asks with a small laugh, a smile spreading across his lips.

"No…" Midna replies, smiling with satisfaction as I settle down next to her. "Though we may have found something else…" She smirks. I carefully reach out, letting my hand comfortably slip into hers as our fingers interlock, like they were always meant to fit together… Dark and Saria frown, turning to watch as the scene unravels. Zelda slowly pushes herself up and away from Link as she stares at our clasped hands, disbelief in her blue eyes.

"Are... Are you…" She stammers, unable to finish her sentence.

As hard as I try, I can't stop the ecstatic grin spreading across my expression as Zelda meets my gaze.

"Yeah…" I reply, "We are."

Midna gives my hand a small appreciative squeeze as Saria begins squealing with excitement. Link is laughing a little and Dark grins like he knew all along… but I'm too busy watching my twin sister. Her eyes are still locked onto our clasped hands, making me unable to read her expression. Her lips are parted slightly, spread wide in shock as she fixates on our hands… I swallow hard, unsure of what to do. It must be weird for her… her brother and her best friend.

"Is that ok… Zel?" I ask, watching as her eyes flicker up, meeting mine.

"Yeah…" She replies, smiling. "I'm a bit surprised, but very happy for you."

I feel relief wash over me at the last three words. That was a concern for me, if Zelda didn't like the idea of me and Midna together, then I could never really be happy with it. There's a strange connection between Zelda and I. Maybe it's because we're twins, I don't know, but I find it hard to be happy with something unless she's happy for me too. But as we sit in the gentle glow of the fire, grinning like Cheshire cats… I know right in this moment that I couldn't be happier.


	10. A Runaway

**Wow! Ok, here we go guys, halfway through the story! I am flabbergasted by how wonderful you have all been; seriously, I can't even begin to thank you enough! This is the most reviews that I have had on any story EVER! Seriously, I can't even handle your awesomeness... thank you to TheMysteriousDude, PrincesscharmingKnight, Adventuregirl1, ShadowNinja1011, SxDsX, prettyguardianofhyrule, Azulhada, Bleachshowlover1, Franne, CreCra,and Hanyoualchemist1!  
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**Thank you to Princess Zelda figure skater for beta reading!**

* * *

_**Zelda's POV:**_

The air is warm around me and I inhale deeply, shifting my position a little in my sleeping bag as I roll over. I'm nice and toasty where I lie snuggled up under my many layers of clothing. Between the tights, my pyjamas, undershirts, tracksuit bottoms and fleece, I really couldn't be cosier. I curl myself in a slightly tighter ball, shielding myself against the rest of the world so I can continue sleeping in my beautiful little cocoon. All around me I can hear the heavy breathing of my friends and my twin brother, Sheik. All of whom sound to be asleep. I daren't open my eyes and look, I'm too happy in my sleepy little paradise.

As I lie back on my pillow, I can't help but think about tonight's revelation. The way Midna and Sheik sat down, with their hands clasped adorably… I've never seen anything so cute. I've never really been a head in the clouds hopeless romantic, that's not really my style. The belief that there's a perfect 'one' out there for us all is outnumbered by the overwhelming scientific odds. In our world, full of an ever increasing population and busy lives, it's extremely unlikely that you'll ever actually meet the perfect 'one' for you. But as I think about Midna and Sheik, it's like two pieces of a puzzle fitting perfectly together. I can't think of anyone more suited for one another as those two.

If I'm completely honest for you: I don't think that is ever going to happen for me. It's hard to find someone who fits every criterion you've ever dreamt of in your perfect other. In our crazy world, we have to learn to compromise, to overlook each other's minor flaws and learn to love one another, because of, or in spite of, every aspect of their personality. I know it's crazy for me, a fifteen year old girl, to be thinking about life and the philosophy of love, but I've always found it strangely fascinating.

All the different theories about love are intriguing to me, some people say we love those who we think we deserve, some say that our ideal partners reflect who we aspire to be, and some even say that they're just like our parents. Now, these theories are all well and good… but I have a theory of my own. I don't think it's possible to calculate love, you can't break it down to science or hormones or chemicals… I think it comes from the heart. We learn to love those around us, no matter what, and it's not just our own conscious decision. Circumstance, location, timing, and peers play a large role in what happens to our love lives. It's something we can't always control, you don't always fall for people who you think are right for you, and you certainly can't pick those that we love… but that's just the way it is.

I sigh a little in the dark of the barn. This always happens: I wake in the middle of the night and set my mind into motion, thinking about life and love and every other philosophical conundrum out there. Then my brain starts whirring, coming up with my own personal solutions, and before I know it, I'm wide awake. I blow out my cheeks into large balloons, rolling over onto my front as I push open my tired eyes, taking in the room around me. The fire has now stopped flaming, leaving just a few hot ashes scattered on the floor of the barn. Guessing by this, it must be about two or three in the morning. As I listen, I can here loud grunts and snores coming from my friends as they all sleep blissfully around me. I quickly grab my torch, deciding just to check and see if anyone's awake. As I flick the light on and cast it over all my friends, I'm greeted with the response I was expecting. That is until finally, I turn the light to Link's sleeping bag… at least, where it should be.

There's a large open space on the floor between Midna and Dark, exactly where Link should be sleeping. I frown, scouring the room with my torch, searching for something. My stomach churns sickeningly as I realise that his bag is missing too… oh no… Where could he have gone? He didn't go home; he would have told us if he wanted to go home… what if something bad has happened to him? What if he's in trouble?

A thousand thoughts are frantically dashing through my mind, though I know deep down inside of me what's really going on. He hates it here, he always has, and now that his mind's set, he probably always will. He's been going on about wanting to escape, wanting to go back to his home, how he can't stay here. I swallow hard, trying to void my throat of the large lump forming there as I run my hands through my hair. I should have seen it coming, I should have known… Link is running away.

I shuffle uncomfortably where I sit, trying my best to wriggle out of my sleeping bag. I must admit that the pit of nerves forming in the bottom of my stomach isn't making it any easier. Eventually, I rid myself of the confining blankets, clambering up to my feet. I fumble around for my brown boots, slipping them over my feet in the darkness. It's ok Zelda. Just stay calm. He can't have gone far. I'm sure he'll be alright. But no matter how much I try to make myself relax, I know that it's no use until I find Link.

I drop to my knees beside Sheik. His body lies crumpled up in his sleeping bag as he hugs his knees to his chest. A small trail of drool runs from the side of his mouth, though I don't have to time to worry about it.

"Sheik," I hiss, leaning over him, "Sheik, wake up!"

He lets out a low, indecipherable moan as he shifts where he lies. He smacks his lips together lazily as he sleeps… and I can't help but wonder if he's dreaming about food. I sigh, quickly growing frustrated with his blissful ignorance. I reach out, gripping his forearm as I give shake his torso.

"Sheik! Wake up! This is important!"

"Five more minutes mum…" He groans as he lazily pulls his arm from my grip, rolling over and turning his body away from me. I press my lips together firmly, deciding to give it one last try.

"Get up, Sheik!"

But the only reply I'm met with is a quiet snore as he begins to drool again. And with that, I decide that enough is enough. I can't waste any more time trying to get my brother to help me. For every minute I waste here, Link gets further and further away. For all I know, he could already have left the village. Where would he have gone to? I pull myself to my feet, taking my coat from my bag and dragging it over my shoulders. There's no way I'm letting Link walk away from us all.

I turn, running towards the exit of the barn. The door is stiff and heavy as I reach it. Its metal lock is cold to the touch as I pull it, trying my best to force it open. Eventually, with much work, the door swings outwards, allowing me to exit. I quickly proceed out of the door and onto the dusty pathway. Which way would Link have gone? Where would he go? I try hard to cast my mind back over the thoughts of the last few days. I know for definite that he wants to go back to the city. That one's given. But how could he get there? Link isn't old enough to drive, and he must have gone alone. This leaves only one solution… the bus.

I break out into a run. My feet are pounding hard against the dry dusty ground as I race through the cold winter's night. The wind bites against my face. It works its way through every gap in my clothing, freezing my skin and turning my cheeks bright red. It claws through my hair with its long, icy fingers, throwing it behind me. My pointed ears are beginning to sting with the cold as my heart rate fastens inside of my chest. I swallow, clenching my fists harder as I press on. I can't afford to walk, I might lose Link.

As my feet blindly stumble along the path, I can't help but wish that I'd thought to bring my torch. I hesitate for a moment, unsure whether or not to go back for it. But as I clench my jaw, I decide that there's no time for such things. A friend needs my help, and that's exactly what I intend to give him. I can feel my heart thumping against my ribs. I swear it could jump right through my skin at any moment. Air rushes in and out of my lungs, feeding my aching muscles. Tears begins forming in the corners of my eyes as the frustration rises inside of me… why is he making this so difficult? I reach the end of the field, coming to a gradual stop as I stare wildly around me. A large slope drops down below me, leading down to the lake, and two pathways extend out to the left and right. There has to be some kind of sign, some give away as to which direction he headed in. As I desperately scan the fields, something catches my eye.

Far on the horizon, where the peaceful lake lies, my eyes fall on something special: a small silhouette walking fast along the water's edge. He holds a large sports bag pressed against his back, and his feet clumsily stumble over the uneven ground. The reflection of the moon on the water's surface illuminates my path as I stumble down the steep slope, trying my best to catch up to him. I can already feel blisters bubbling between my toes but there's no time for me to stop. It's a race against time. For every time I stumble, for every moment I hesitate, he's only getting further away.

Eventually, I come to the bottom of the slope. My feet are sore, the leather of my boots scuffed and even ripped in places from the sharp rocks. My ankles are aching with the persistent pressure, and my fingers are numb from the cold. But I can't stop now that I'm so close.

I can feel the determination pouring from my heart as I force my weeping muscles to run again. This is it Zelda, this can make a difference. It's the final leg of the run… I just need to catch up to him. I can speak with him. I'll find a way to talk him out of it. I watch as his shadowed figure presses on, back hunched away from the silvery light of the moon. I'm so close; I can almost hear his breathing. I'm about to call out to him, to shout his name. And that's when it all goes wrong.

My body is propelled forward, continuing at my running speed, but there's something holding me back. My feet have snagged on a small piece of jagged rock. Its pointed edge rips through the leather of my boot. My body collides with ground with all the force of my desperate sprint. The impact of the dry ground makes my body shudder, and I can already feel the skin being peeled from the back of my lower arms. A small yelp of pain passes through my lips as my torso hits the dirt, knocking my cheek against its dusty surface.

And that's when everything returns to real time. Link's footsteps stop dead in their tracks as the wave of pain passes over my body. I can feel the raw sting on my freshly exposed skin. It's enough to make me whimper in pain. I can't do this, no, there's not time. I need to speak with Link. I push my face away from the dusty dirt, forcing my body up to look at him. But he's already stood still, carefully watching me with his stunning blue eyes.

"Zelda?" He asks, turning to look at me under those sparkling stars.

I nod as I slowly push myself up from the ground. My arms are stinging from their grazes, but I'm mostly ok. Link steps cautiously towards me, holding out one hand to help me to my feet. I gratefully accept his offer of help, letting him support me as I get up. I carefully reach down, dusting off my night clothes as he looks me up and down. His blue eyes are confused, unsure.

"What are you doing here?" He asks.

"I could ask you the same thing," I reply, letting my eyes meet his.

He sighs, looking down at his feet for a few moments. He doesn't dare to utter a word, just simply turns away, collecting his large sports bag and shrugging it up over his shoulder. His tipex tattooed converses leave footprints in the dust as he slowly walks away.

He only turns back momentarily, to say: "Go home Zelda, you shouldn't be here."

I frown, a look of determination settling over me. "And neither should you!" I shout, marching up to him and taking his arm in my hand, spinning him around to face me. "What do you think you're playing at, Link? It's the middle of the night and you're wandering off! What if you'd gotten hurt?"

He takes a step back, casting his eyes upwards in exasperation. "I didn't get hurt, Zelda. I'm perfectly capable of looking after myself. And right now, I'd really appreciate it if you'd just go back to your perfect little life and forget all about me."

"I'm not giving up on you, Link!" I say, meeting his gaze once again. "And you shouldn't give up either!"

A small laugh escapes him as he sways where he stands. "What are you talking about?" He asks.

I set my jaw forward in determination as I take step closer to him. "I'm talking about this, Link. All of this! You're running away! Life threw a few problems at you, sure. Maybe you didn't get on well with the school bully. Maybe your parents don't always understand your point of view. Maybe you're living in a B&B for a few weeks. It shouldn't matter, Link. Everyone has problems. But instead of dealing with them like any sensible person would, you run away!"

He opens his mouth to speak, but falters for a few moments. His blue eyes look hurt as he inhales deeply; his breath misting in the air. "Yeah, Zelda. Everyone has problems, and right now, I can't help but feel like I'm the cause of those problems! People around me are suffering and that's my fault!"

"What the heck are you talking about?!" I exclaim, cutting him off.

"I'm talking about my family, Zelda!" He shouts, angrily gesticulating. "Did it never occur to you that maybe they'd be happier without a moody sarcastic teenager?! They can't afford to repair the house, and not paying to feed or dress or house a teenage boy could make that difference for them!"

"Link, your being ridi-" But before I can finish he puts up his hand, pressing one finger against my lips and forcing me to fall silent.

"Would you just shut up and listen?" He yells, "I can't do this, Zelda! I can't be that kind of burden on my family! And for your information, it's not just them! It's you, you and your perfect little countryside friends!"

His words confuse me, what kind of burden could he possibly be on us? We care about him, he's our friend. He's done nothing to upset us… so what could he mean? He takes a step closer to me, his rugged blue eyes dragging me in. One of his strong hands clasps my shoulder as he leans in, suddenly becoming more intimidating. His face is twisted with resentment and distress, and I swear I can almost see tears in his eyes.

"I am bad news Zelda," he says slowly, shaking me a little to emphasise his point. "I'm reckless, sarcastic, rude and insecure. I don't know when to let things lie and I have a hard time accepting people even when they're nice to me. It doesn't matter what you say or how friendly you are to me. I won't believe that we're actually friends, Zelda. I can't let go of grudges. I'm paranoid, passive aggressive, and I have a horrible habit of hurting people that I actually care about. I insult people when I get nervous. I'm painfully stubborn, and I swear to God that if anyone jokes about my artwork then I will never ever forgive them. Look… you and your friends have been great, but if I stick around, I'm going to end up hurting you. I don't want to do that."

And with that, he gives me one final, serious nod. Then he turns away, slinging his bag a little higher on his shoulder as he paces away from me. His hands are clenched and his head is held low. His words wash over me… reckless, sarcastic, rude, insecure… grudges, paranoid, passive aggressive, stubborn… I've seen all these things in Link Faron since the day he arrived… but it didn't make a difference. I still believed in him, and I'm not about to change that now.

"Like I said," I shout, "I'm not giving up on you, Link Faron!"

He grits his teeth, turning back around to face me. His expression looks angered… and frankly it's rather scary. His jaw is clenched and he approaches, fury burning in his stunning blue eyes. His converses thump against the dirt, sending small cracks along the surface. He reaches out one powerful hand, gripping my arm with it as he bares his teeth in frustration.

"Haven't you got it yet, Zelda?" He growls, "I don't fit in here! I don't belong here! Groose is right," his face looms ever closer as he begins to shout out of pure rage. "I'M NOTHING BUT A CITY BOY!"

I stare at him in silence for a few moments, my mind rushing with thoughts. In those few minutes, in the time he took to pour all his insecurities out to me, I saw the real Link. I didn't see the boy who strolled into the B&B last week, acting like he couldn't care less. I didn't see the boy who dived across the canteen to confront Groose. And I certainly didn't see a boy who'd just run away from all his problems. I saw a real, honest to the Goddess human being. One with problems, one who'd been bullied his whole life. One who'd expressed all his emotions with a paintbrush and watercolours. And one who was only trying to do anything for his friends and family. As I stare up at that poor boy, I know there's only one thing I can do in this situation.

I reach up, wrapping my arms around his neck and locking them behind him. I move in closer, resting my head against his heaving chest. There are a few moments of stunned silence, before I eventually feel him return the hug. His arms hold my waist tight, his head falling onto the shoulder of my pink fleece. There's a soft snuffling, sobbing sound as I feel his shoulders shake underneath my arms. His bag falls down to the floor with a loud thud but he doesn't even look up. I can already feel his tears soaking through the shoulders of my clothes, but I honestly don't care. If anything, I'm actually relieved. He needed to let it all out… you can't just bottle your emotions like he tried to.

"You'll be ok, Link," I whisper. "I promise."


	11. New Leaf

**Hello my lovely lovely readers! I've got to say a big thank you for the reviews from TheMysteriousDude, CreCra, ShadowMario3, Iranda20, PrincesscharmingKnight, Franne, prettyguardianofhyrule, ShadowNinja1011, forty2smurfs, Nuclear Chick, shhimaninja16, ScootinJackMcCue, Hanyoualchemist1, Joyma, Zelink4eva123, GameCivilization, Neez, Bleachshowlover1, The Supreme, and TechyZeldaNerd! You guys are all supermegafoxyawesomehot!**

**Thank you to Princess Zelda-figure skater for beta reading!**

* * *

_**Link's POV:**_

So here I am, Link Faron, ready to turn over a new leaf. I'm willing to admit that I was wrong, I jumped to awful conclusions about Zelda, Sheik and their friends. I did what I always do, and just assumed that they were trying to attack me. It's what I'm used to. But that fact of the matter is that there are actually nice people out there. People like Zelda and Sheik. It turns out I was just too blind to see it. But now I'm ready to change. I've laid my insecurities down to rest, buried them six feet under. I can't be letting things that happened to me before get in the way of my present. Like Zelda said, everyone has problems; you just have to learn to deal with them.

I can't live like this anymore; I need to stop hiding myself away from people who genuinely want to help. I can't continue hiding my emotions away, pretending that I'm not feeling a certain way. I want to be friends with Zelda, Sheik, and all the others. It's what I've wanted right from the start. I was just too afraid to admit it, even to myself. I was scared that if I had friends, I'd end up screwing everything up. I'd hurt one of them, or do something horrendously wrong. But it's time to let go of my hang ups and get on with my life. The cure for a heart is to move along.

I straighten my tie a little, glancing at the boy in the mirror. His dark blonde hair is scruffy, lazily falling just over his sparkling blue eyes. He gives a small smile to his reflection. It's me, Link Faron. I still look the same… but now I've realised what's important. Speaking of important things… I need to sort out my feelings towards Zelda. I promised I'd be honest, at least with myself, so it's time I confronted my own feelings and stopped kidding myself. She's beautiful, she's got a wonderful personality and she's such a lovely girl. I told myself that she was stuck up… had the world wrapped around her fingers. I think I despised her worst because deep down I knew she was the one who meant the most to me. She's Zelda… and I know that I can no longer deny the fact that I'm falling for her, hard. My mind wanders back to a couple of nights ago, to when we stood by the lake at two in the morning. That was the first time I've cried in front of anyone, for a long time. In fact, it's probably the first time I've cried since I was ten… She whispered beautiful words into my ears. She looked after me, talked it all through with me. And then, she taught me to skim stones along the surface of the water until I forgot why I was out in the freezing cold in the middle of the night. She's everything I need right now… and I think I just need to go for it.

"Link!" Sheik exclaims, poking his head around my bedroom door. "Hurry up! We're already ten minutes late!"

"Oh shoot…" I mumble, glancing nervously around my room. Where did I put my school shoes? I scan the cluttered mess. My art stuff and text books are all jumbled on my desk. My dirty clothes lie in a crumpled pile in the corner, and my clean ones still sit in a washing basket waiting to be put away. There are towers of half completed sketches stacked up on my bookshelf, and my WiiU game pad is sat skew-whiff on my pillow. But I can't seem to find my school shoes…

"Just give me a minute," I say. "I'll meet you at the bus stop, ok?"

He gives me a swift nod, before disappearing out of my bedroom door. I sigh, dropping to my knees on the carpet. I begin crawling along the floor, searching through the piles of mess. Maybe mum was right? I should have tidied up this room by now. I hear the sound of the front door closing as Zelda and Sheik leave for school. I let out a deep sigh, clambering up again. I quickly grab my school bag from my bed, slinging it over my shoulder and making for my bedroom door.

"Mum," I shout, as I enter the hallway, leaning over the banister. "Have you seen my school shoes?"

"Pardon?" She asks, stepping out into the hallway below from her bedroom.

"My school shoes, have you seen them?" I ask, my voice sounding a little desperate.

"I thought they were in the kitchen," she says, frowning.

"Thanks mum!" I exclaim, dashing around the banister and heading down the spiralled staircase. My socked feet pad against the soft carpet of each step as I near the bottom. At this rate I'm going to miss the bus! So much for turning over a new leaf. Late on the first day? That's great start! Sheik and Zelda would ask the bus driver to wait for me… surely? The only problem is Groose… he wouldn't be so kind. But that doesn't matter; right now I just need to focus on finding those shoes!

Eventually I reach the kitchen doorway. I glance around the room. My eyes scan over all the mugs, the counters, the dog basket sitting in the corner, but no school shoes. I frown, circling around the wooden dining table in the hopes that they'll behind it, but there's no such luck.

"Mum, they're not here!" I shout as I pause for a few moments, waiting for a response. Yet all I can hear is silence. I frown, slowly walking back to the foot of the staircase. A tight frown is knitted onto my forehead as I approach her bedroom door. I wonder if she's alright. What could possibly have happened in the space of the thirty seconds that I went to look for my shoes? I reach the bedroom door, knocking twice on the wooden panels.

"Mum?" I ask again, a little quieter this time.

I reach out, taking the silver handle of her door. With a quick twist and a light push, the door opens. I carefully step inside, taking in my surroundings. It's exactly how it was the last time I looked, no mess, no problems. Except for one… mum is sat, leaning back against the couch. One of her legs is curled up next to her but the other is pushing hard against the floor, right next to a large puddle on the green carpet. Her hands cradle her now humongous baby bump, and her teeth are clenched tightly together. But her cerulean eyes are wide, looking a little pained and she sucks in her lips, eyebrows arched downwards. I exhale slowly, stepping a little closer, almost as if I don't want to startle her. As I step nearer, I notice her paled skin and the tiny vein pulsing on her forehead… something's not right… She moves one hand from her baby bump, reaching it out to me, almost pleading for me to take it. I accept her hand, finding that her palms are slick with sweat.

"Mum, are you ok?" I ask nervously, feeling my own voice cracking as I do.

She stares straight through me for a few moments, almost as if I were a ghost. But eventually, her grip on my hand tightens and she uses me as a support to help her stand. I watch her in silence, unsure of what to say or do. I'm honestly very confused right now… I don't understand what's happened or what's going on.

"Mum, please say something," I beg.

She looks down slowly, blowing air out between her lips as she bends forward a little. "Something's wrong…" She mutters.

"Wrong?" I ask, "What's wrong?"

"The baby!" She wails, "I think I'm having the baby!"

Oh Goddess… I can feel a wave of panic wash over me as I watch my own mother cry out in pain. My heart begins pounding hard against my chest and I can already feel a cold sweat breaking out on my forehead. She's having the baby? She can't be! That's not right… dad's not here! He's spending all day fixing that freaking farm house! What am I supposed to do now? I try to calm my own panicking mind. It's ok Link, just think about this logically. Everything will be just fine, you can simply call dad and- oh no…

That's when I spot dads mobile phone lying on the bed right in front of me. I curse under my breath and mum begins breathing deeply, making whooshing noises as she does. I carefully take her arm, wrapping it around my shoulders as I pull her up into a more comfortable position. I wrap my arm around her to support her as I slowly walk us both up and down the room. I seem to remember reading somewhere that it helps the pain if you just keep moving. She stops suddenly, reaching out with her empty hand and taking mine. Tears form in her glassy eyes as she squeezes tight on my hand. I swallow hard, I can't bear to see my mum in this much pain…

"Mum… I- I'm going to go get dad, ok?" I say, turning around to look directly at her.

"N-no," she stutters, "I can't w- wait that long."

"What?" I breathe, "What do I do?"

I watch as she collapses onto the couch, already exhausted from the pain. She runs one hand through her long blonde hair, pushing it back from her eyes as she groans in pain.

"J-just get… get…" she stutters.

"An ambulance?" I ask desperately.

"No!" She exclaims, "They won't emit me until my contractions are four minutes apart…"

"Who then?" I plead.

"The Harkinians! Get Mrs Harkinian!" She yells, gravelling her words.

I nod obediently, taking to my feet and dashing towards the door. I'll admit that I'm scared, more scared then I've ever been before. I don't know what to do. I don't have a clue about any of this. Mum needs someone who can actually help her, someone who can do her some good. And at this point in time, that's just not me. I reach the bedroom door, resting one hand on the inside of the frame as I turn back to look at her. She's now lying back on the couch, her eyes screwed shut as she rests one hand on her stomach. Her chest is heaving with every breath she takes and she looks like she could pass out any moment. I swallow hard. I don't want to leave her, but she needs my help.

"Mrs Harkinian!" I shout, dashing through the house with my arms flailing wildly.

My feet are now pounding against the floor as I race through the kitchen. I know exactly where she'll be. At this time of day she always goes to feed the chickens, they get moody if she doesn't. I wrench the back door open and sprint from the house, leaving the door wide open behind me. I can feel my messy hair being pushed back from my face with the pressure of the wind. My face begins to flush with the biting cold, and my lungs are begging for oxygen.

I come to a sudden stop at the metal gate. My feet slide and skid through the thin layer of hay littering the ground. I get a few strange looks from lazy cows and the horses watching me from the barn. But this is no time to concern myself with that. I grip the top of the gate, hanging on with all my might as I hurl my body over the top of it. My fingers are stinging from the cold of the thick metal but I'm over… I can already see Mrs Harkinian knelt inside the chicken coop. She's sprinkling some pellets in their feeding area from a large brown cardboard box as I run up to the door of the chicken coop. I lean against the wooden frame of tiny door. My body is slumped, tired, and I'm panting for breath. She turns to look at me, her eyes are wide with shock and the surprise of seeing me stood here. She knows I'm not a big fan of the farm animals… other than Epona.

"Link!" She exclaims, "What a surprise to see you here! Shouldn't you be at school?"

"There's no time to explain," I puff, trying to get out my words with what little breath I have. "You need to come with me!"

I quickly reach out, grabbing her by the hand and pulling here towards the exit of the chicken coop. She sets her box of bird seed down on the ground and gives me a worried look as I pull her out into the bright sunshine.

"Whatever is the matter, Link?" She asks.

"Mum's having her baby!" I exclaim.

* * *

"Ok, that's four minutes!" Mrs Harkinian exclaims, laying her wrist watch down on mum's bedside table.

I reach out one hand, allowing mum to take it. I help her to climb up to her feet as she cradles her baby bump, still breathing heavily. It's crazy; we must have been here for a good two or three hours just waiting for the contractions to speed up. It took a while, but eventually they started getting longer and closer together, much to mum's dismay. Mrs Harkinian sat through it all with her, helping her through the pain. I'm so glad she's here, because if it was just me, I wouldn't have a clue what to do. She wraps her arm around mum's shoulders, supporting her as the two make for the door.

"Ok," she says to me, "Go and get some shoes on. I'm going to drive us all to the hospital. Now Link, I need you to sit in the back and look after your mother while I drive, ok?"

I nod obediently, dashing through the door. My mind is racing as I run up the spiralled staircase to my bedroom. This is crazy. This wasn't what I was expecting to be happening when I woke up this morning, that's for sure. I thought it would just be another day at school. I'd be hanging out with my friends at lunch, and trying my best to avoid Groose in the corridors. But I guess sometimes, things just don't go to plan.

I pull open my wardrobe door, and it's only when I begin rummaging through my box of shoes that I realise that I've lost my school shoes. I was searching for them when this all began. I sigh. I don't have the time to worry about wearing the right shoes. I grab my blue pair of converses from the cupboard; these ones bear the Triforce of wisdom and the mark of Nayru in tipex pen. I shove them onto my feet and tuck the laces inside the canvas, not bothering to tie them up.

Once I'm ready, I run from my room. I pelt down the staircase and through the house like a speeding bullet. I've never been this nervous, never panicked like I am right now. This is serious, what if something goes wrong? What if we don't get to the hospital in time? What if we have to deliver the baby ourselves? I come to a stop just outside the front door, shaking my head to try and rid my mind of that thought. This isn't the time to be pessimistic, Link. As I glance towards the car, I can already see my mother sat in the back seat, face contorted with pain as another contraction hits. Mrs Harkinian is just climbing into the front seat as I dash over, pulling the back door open.

I'm in that car seat, its belt buckled over me and holding my mother's hand within a matter of seconds. My body is purely running off adrenaline at this point. I didn't even have the time to eat breakfast this morning… I was running late. It's only as I sit back in my seat that I realise just how hungry I am. I try and cast my mind back to the last time I ate something. I had a piece of mum's chocolate log at about eight last night… but I haven't had a proper meal since five in the afternoon yesterday.

"Link?" Mrs Harkinian says, glancing at me in her rear view mirror. My attention snaps away from my rumbling stomach and focuses on her.

"Yeah?" I reply.

"Do you want to call the hospital? Tell them that we're on our way with a baby coming too!"

I nod in response. I begin to fumble through my pockets with my free hand. My fingers clumsily punch in the number for the hospital that Mrs Harkinian recites for me. I can't seem to think straight right now. It's like my brain is cut off from the rest of my body at this moment in time. It always happens when I panic. With one trembling hand, I hold the phone up to my ear, listening as it rings quietly. I begin counting the number of monotone beeps as I wait for a response.

One, two, three, four…

"You've reached Kakariko town hospital. How may I help you?" Comes a soft voice from the other end of the line.

"My mum's having a baby," I suddenly blurt out. "We're bringing her to the hospital now."

"Ok," says the soft, calm voice. "We can have a space ready for her in the maternity ward. How far apart are her contractions?"

I glance over to Mrs Harkinian, covering the phone with one hand as I ask: "How far apart are her contractions?"

"Four minutes," Mum replies through gritted teeth.

"Four minutes," I parrot to the woman on the other end of the phone.

"Mm hmm…" She mumbles, "And can I ask for her name?"

"L… Luana," I stutter, "Luana Faron."

I can hear muffled tapping on the other end of the line, possibly typing on a keyboard. There's a moment of silence, and then eventually the woman says: "We don't have any Luana Faron in our records, but there's a match from Castle Town central hospital. Could that be her?"

"Yes," I blurt. "Yeah, that's her."

"Ok, we can have her painkillers and a bed ready for her arrival. How far away are you?"

"Uhh… one moment," I say, before turning to look at Mrs Harkinian again. "How far away are we?" I ask.

"About twenty minutes," she replies.

I nod, holding the mouthpiece of the phone up to my face. "Twenty minutes," I repeat.

"Uh-hu…" The woman replies. "And one last question… does the father know the baby is coming?"

"No," I reply, suddenly feeling a pang of guilt in my gut for not remembering about dad.

"No problem," she replies. "We'll do our best to contact him. When you're mother arrives, she should be taken care of by a midwife called Nurse Romani."

"Thank you," I stutter, removing the phone from my ear and hanging up. My hands are shaking, palms sweaty. Why am I so nervous about this? I've dealt with emergency situations before. One time, during a game of soccer in fifth grade, a boy stamped on my ankle and broke it. Don't get me wrong, it hurt, but I dealt with the situation just fine. So why am I so much worse now?

"CONTRACTION!" Mum yells, pulling me from my own thoughts. I turn my attention back to her, watching as he face creases with the pain. Her grip on my hand tightens, and I try not to let out a yelp of pain as I feel my knuckles cracking. I feel awful just sat, watching her go through all this pain. I wish there was something I could do to help her. I wish I could at least take some of the pain for her… but I know that's not an option.

"You're going to be ok, Luana," Mrs Harkinian says, giving my mum a quick smile in the rear view mirror.

* * *

"How's she doing?" Mrs Harkinian asks. She makes her way into the room, cradling a cup of scalding hot coffee. She smiles nervously as she wanders over to the bed where mum lies. The blankets are curled up around her legs and she lies back, propped up by some thin hospital pillows. We share a room with two other beds, though one of them is currently empty and there's a minty green curtain pulled around us for privacy. I sit next to mum, in an uncomfortable chair with blue fabric cushions, holding her hand and telling myself not to panic.

"She's doing great," I say, giving my mum a comforting smile, though I don't totally believe it myself. "The contractions are getting worse, but she's still soldiering on."

"That's great to hear," Mrs Harkinian replies, laying her coffee cup down on the bedside table. She carefully leans over, brushing my mum's hair back from her eyes as mum presses her lips together, preparing herself for another contraction. I cling on tight to her hand, uttering comforting words as she wails with each breath. I know the pain is getting worse and worse, even though she refuses to say it. She just doesn't want me to worry about her… but it's already too late for that.

Suddenly, the curtain is pulled back. The metal rings clanging against the rails as the fabric moves aside, revealing my dad stood on the other side. He's still wearing his country walking boots, and I can see dusty stains on his shirt from his building materials. I watch as a relieved expression falls over his face as he lays eyes on my mother, glad to see that she's still ok.

"Luana!" he exclaims, dashing over. He carefully strokes her cheek as the relief washes over mum… she wanted dad, all this time. I watch in silence as he straightens her blankets, puffs up her pillows, and brushes her hair back. He knows exactly what mum needs right now… better than I do. I try not to let it bother me that he takes her hand from me, holding it tight between his two palms.

"How dilated are you so far?" he asks.

"Six centre metres…" She mumbles, "At eight centre metres they'll take me into the delivery room."

He smiles, continuing to care for her, catering to her every need. He fetches a damp cloth from one of the nurses, patting it along her forehead to keep her cool. He tells her stories from when they were younger to distract her from pain, and he even lists off baby names that he'd like to use. Neither of them seem to notice as I slowly back away from the bed. The curtain rails jangle as I slip through the small gap, out into the rest of the room. The air smells a little fresher out here, but that's probably due to the open window just a few feet away from me. I glance around, taking in my surroundings, but there's honestly nothing much to see. The walls are white washed, the floor tiled with boring blue squares, and there's a small window just in front of me.

I sigh to myself, burying my hands deep in the pockets of my school trousers. I scuff the toes of my shoes along the floor, leaving little white rubber marks on the tiles. It doesn't matter; mum just needed her husband to look after her… I don't know why I'm taking it so personally. It wasn't anything to do with me; I've taken care of her for the last four hours. I suddenly glance up at the clock… its gone one in the afternoon. Right now, my friends will all be sat around their table in the canteen, wondering where I am. Maybe I should call Sheik? Or at least send him a text? Just to let him know what's going on.

"Link?"

I turn around, glancing over my shoulder to find the source of the voice. Mrs Harkinian is just emerging from behind the curtain rails. She takes extra care to close the gap behind her, before turning to me and giving me a comforting smile. She slowly walks over, holding her car keys in her hand. She wraps one slender arm around my shoulders, trying her best to console me.

"It's ok, Link," she says, "You're mother's just going through a lot right now. It's hard for her to focus on anything else."

"No! It's fine," I bluff, "I get it."

She gives me a little squeeze as a soft smile. "Come on then," she says, "Your dad can take care of your mum from here on out. He asked me to take you to school for him."

I sigh. "Really? I've only got one lesson left today. Is it really worth it?"

She giggles a little as she carefully chucks me under the chin. "Come on Link, you can't just skive off!"

As she gives me a warm smile, I can't help but notice how much she looks like Sheik. She has identical blood red eyes, and the same sandy blonde hair. I'm guessing he took after her… right down to that funny crooked smile. She's been amazing today. She's taken brilliant care of my mum, and me for that matter. Maybe living in the country side isn't so bad. If most people are like the Harkinians, I might even learn to like it here.

* * *

The second I close the car door, I'm greeted with the sound of someone shouting my name. I turn quickly, looking out for the source of the noise. That's when I spot my group of friends, all walking towards me. Zelda jogs ahead of everyone else, her long blonde plait jumping about her shoulders as she moves. I give her a weak smile, gripping the handle of my school bag. I'm honestly still a little shaken. I can't get used to the fact that right now, in a hospital, my mother's having a baby. But I try and distract myself from that thought as Zelda runs over. She throws herself onto me in a tight hug, squeezing me tight as I hear her mum drive away from us.

"What happened?" Sheik asks as Zelda pulls away from me.

But before I get the chance to reply, Zelda says "Where were you?"

"Yeah," Midna butts in, "You've missed all of your classes so far!"

"And what's with the shoes?" Dark asks.

"Will you let me speak?" I say, feeling a small laugh escape me. "It's a very long story, but the short of it is…. My mum's having her baby!"

I watch the mixture of reactions. I can read shock, happiness, disbelief and relief in every single one of my friends faces. Sheik and Dark are asking me all kinds of questions about the hospital, the ambulance, and whether or not we got away with speeding. Zelda, Midna, and Saria start squealing and asking about baby names and whether it's a boy or a girl. I'm finding it all quite overwhelming as I try to make sense of all the voices speaking at once. I'm about to reply to Zelda's question about the gender of the baby, when suddenly I hear a loud booming voice calling for me.

"LINK FARON!"

Everything falls silent, and everyone turns to look behind them. Headmaster Geapora towers over all, his shadow blocking out the sunlight as he looms over me. His arms are crossed over his chest in an unimpressed fashion, and his thick white eyebrows are arched in disapproval. His dark eyes scan me judgingly as he steps through all my friends, standing directly in front of me. I swallow hard, trying to stand up straight.

"You turn up to school five hours late…" He says sternly, "Then when you do decide to arrive… your shirt is un-tucked, your tie is a mess, and what is your explanation for those shoes?"

He presses his lips firmly together, staring me down, waiting for an explanation. I have my excuses, perfect alibis and reasons for every single aspect that he just listed off. Yet as he looms threateningly over me, it feels like my tongue has turned to dust inside my mouth. I can't seem to formulate my words, to verbalise any of the thoughts dashing around my mind.

"It's not his fault, sir!" Sheik suddenly blurts out. "His mum just had a baby!"


	12. Oliz

**Before this chapter begins, there's something I have to say! I don't know how many of you have heard of a Zelda lets-player who goes by the name of Olizandri… but he posts my favourite videos on YouTube! I can't begin to tell you all the sheer amount of entertainment I got watching him, I've never really been one who believed in using walk-throughs for games unless you're REALLY stuck. I only ever watched him for the entertainment value! I seriously recommend you go check him out! Anyway, this chapter makes a very large reference to this hilarious LP-er! Enjoy :)**

**Anyway... 200 REVIEWS! I honestly can't even summon the words to tell you how absolutely awesome each and every single one of you is! Gaah! You're all more fabulous than the diamond loving Demon Lord! THANK YOU to TheMysteriousDude, ScarRhyn, PrincesscharmingKnight, Hanyoualchemist1, LeilaEditer, ShadowNinja1011, GameCivilization, Bleachshowlover1, Pitrus, prettyguardianofhyrule, TechyZeldaNerd, Neez, Franne, CreCra, The Supreme, TheBlueAlienRobotZombie, and my 200th reviewer... burning book! Thanks for all your awesomeness, I can't even begin to tell you how happy you've all made me!**

**Thank you to Princess Zelda-figure skater for beta reading!**

* * *

There they all stand, crowded around me. I carefully look around at my group of friends, Sheik, Zelda, Dark, Midna, and Saria. Every single one of their faces is soft with an expression of fondness and adoration. I turn quickly, looking back at my mother. She's lying in her bed, watching us all. There's a soft smile set on her lips as she turns to me. She looks tired, pale, there are large bags under her eyes… but even that doesn't hide her sparkling pupils. I feel a small smile playing across my own lips as I carefully look down, letting my eyes fall onto the tiny bundle in my arms. Wrapped in a tight green blanket, tiny eyelids closed, buried beneath a thin layer of black hair… is my little brother.

"Everybody…" I whisper, "I'd like you to meet Oliz."

There's a chorus of cooing from Zelda, Midna, and Saria as I rock him gently back and forth in my arms. He smacks his tiny lips together, moving his head slightly as Zelda reaches out one warm hand. Her fingers gently stroke the soft skin of his cheek as she gives me a friendly smile… and just like that her stunning eyes drag me in again. I swallow hard, snapping my attention back to my little brother who's sleeping soundly in my arms.

"How much does he weigh?" Sheik asks, gently touching the tip of his finger to Oliz's tiny little nose.

"Seven pounds," mum replies. She watches me with a soft admiration in her eyes. I don't want to get my hopes up… but I think she's starting to see a change in me. That same change that I promised myself I'd make. As I carefully look down on the innocent little bundle in my arms, I suddenly feel a swell of emotions. I want him to be proud of me. I don't want to be Link, his grumpy brother who doesn't care about anyone else. I want to be the older brother that Oliz looks up to; I want him to have fond memories of the two of us. I want to be a good brother… just like Sheik is to Zelda. I try to ignore the tiny voice in the back of mind that tells me I failed with Aryll, that I let her down. I won't let myself think that way anymore. I hold that tiny little baby up, his body rests again my chest and his little head lolls onto my shoulder. I smile, turning to whisper into his tiny pink ear.

"I won't let anyone hurt you Oliz, remember that."

"Can I hold him?" Midna asks, looking a little hopeful.

I glance over to my mum, waiting for her response. But she replies with an encouraging nod.

"Of course you can," I say, slowly turning to Midna. I gently move my arm, supporting Oliz's head with my hand as I pass him over the Midna. She holds her arms up and receives him carefully. I let his little head rest in the crook of her elbow as she smiles, slowly swaying from side to side.

"He's gorgeous Mrs Faron…" Midna whispers.

She smiles, "You're all Link's friends, just call me Luana."

I turn to her, giving her a wide smile as I slowly walk over to her bed. I stoop down, pulling my mum in for a tight hug. She understands, she always has done… no one knows a boy better than his mother. She knows exactly how much my friends mean to me, that they never gave up on me. And somewhere… deep down, I think she knows how much I care for Zelda. She lets her hand slip down my arm and take my hand as we pull apart.

"Link," she says. "Aryll will be finishing craft club in about twenty minutes. I hate to ask, but would you walk and pick her up for me?"

I pause for a second, my smile faltering. "I'd happily do it, but I don't know the way to the school from here…"

"I'll show you!" Zelda replies, giving me a bright smile. "It's only a fifteen minute walk from here and Tetra needs picking up anyway…"

I feel myself beaming with excitement. "Sounds great!"

* * *

The side walk of the Gerudo town is dry and dusty, powdering a thin layer of brown dirt onto the soles of my converses. The sun glares into my eyes as we turn the corner. It's late winter… and the sun is very low in the sky at this time of day. It casts a bright golden amber glow over everything, making it all look a little sepia. Rays of light bounce off of Zelda's long golden hair, even though it's pulled back into a plait. She's wearing her school uniform, and her school skirt pokes out from underneath her heavy navy coloured coat.

I feel myself sighing happily as I slip my hands into the front pockets of my coat. I guess I'm starting to like it here; it's not so bad after all. My friends in the village are lovely, and although Groose and his cronies enjoy picking fights with me, it doesn't bother me all that much. They're nothing but school yard bullies. They'll never amount to much. I smile to myself as I picture Groose dressed in dirty brown overalls, wiping his sweaty forehead as he washes the windows of people's cars as they pull up at the traffic lights.

"What are you looking so happy about?" Zelda asks, turning to look at me.

Her skin is bathed in that beautiful golden light, and it honestly just makes her look even more stunning. There's a tiny scattering of freckles dotted over her nose, just enough to make her look cute, especially when she smiles. Her eyelashes are long as she blinks a few times, trying to shield her gorgeous eyes from the sun. I feel myself swallowing my pride as I look down to my feet, trying my best to hide the blush I can feel on my cheeks.

"Oh nothing…" I reply, "Just… I think I might be starting to like it here…"

There's a brief moment of silence between us. And it's only when I look up to see her reaction that I notice she's not walking with me anymore. I frown, turning around to look over my shoulder. There she stands, just a few feet behind me, beaming like a Cheshire cat. Her eyes are sparkling in that late winter glow as she giggles slightly. I can feel happy confusion running through me. My lips break into a smile as I turn fully to look at her.

"What?" I ask.

She giggles aloud, rushing forward and grabbing my hand as she squeals in excitement.

"I knew it," she exclaims excitedly, "I knew you'd come around!"

I look away again, feeling myself laughing a little. I wish I had the courage to meet her gaze right now, but whenever I do it's like my brain melts… I can't think straight.

"So…" she says, gently squeezing my arm as she turns me round, continuing to walk. "What changed your mind?"

Everything… it was the way that you and Sheik were so kind to me. You never gave up on me, even when I was a complete and utter ass to you. Your family just accepted us into your home. You welcomed us with open arms… You introduced me to your crazy friends and made yourself a part of my life. Your little sister was so sweet to mine, your mother took care of mine, and you put up with all my nonsense… you even stopped me from running away from my own mistakes. You taught me that you can't just turn your back on your problems. It was you Zelda; it was everything you did for me. You've made me change, made me realise what's actually important, what really matters. You made me see that life's not so bad. You made me a better person and I love you for that…

Of course, I don't say any of that. If I tried I'd just stumble on my own words or say the wrong thing. I can paint my emotions into a picture, or tell people what I'm feeling through a line sketch. But words and I don't work… I can't put my own emotions into a tangible sentence. That's just something I've never been able to do… So instead of verbalising all those thoughts I've kept inside of me, I just settle for a shrug and a small blush.

"I don't know…" I simply mumble, "It just kind of… happened."

She smiles anyway. "I'm so glad that it did."

We turn another corner, and I can see Aryll and Tetra's school at the end of the road. Large red gates line the outer boarder and just behind them I can see snakes and ladders and hop scotch chalked onto the playground. The faint sound of laughter and childish shouts resonate in the air as we walk closer. I want to speak up, to say something to Zelda, but I can't seem to verbalise the words. My tongue simply lies clumsily in my mouth.

"I mean," I stammer, "maybe one day I might even love it."

Zelda looks at me for a few moments, her eyes clouding in confusion as she tries to understand what I meant. I can already feel my face heating up as she stares at me in silence.

"In the c… countryside, I mean," I stutter. "I could learn to love it in the countryside."

Eventually, a smile dances across her face. Her hands are deep in her pockets, but she quickly takes one out. She reaches out, gently taking my arm as we come to a stop just in front of the school gates. Her beautifully complex eyes are looking down as her lips move silently. She looks nervous, deep in thought, unsure of what to say.

"Do you think…" She murmurs, "Do you think you could maybe learn to love something else?"

Silence falls over us like a curtain as I stare at her, mouth hanging open slightly, awestruck. I can see her cringing beneath my gaze as she realises what a cheesy line she just used, but my insides are bubbling with excitement. Was she trying to hint something? Did she mean her? Could I learn to love her? Is that what she was saying? I silently curse myself for being so utterly clueless on such things. Damn it… if I were Sheik I'd be able to smooth my way over this situation, him and Midna have got it all sorted.

"Wait…" I whisper, leaning a little closer. "Are you asking me if I-"

But before I can finish, she steps a little closer. One hand rests against my chest as she looks up at me. Her gorgeous eyes meet mine as I feel the very breath catch in my throat. She places one dainty finger on my lips to silence me, exactly the way I did on that crazy night…

"Let's not say anything just yet… " She says. "How about we just see how we feel afterwards, ok?"

My heart begins thumping a little harder as she carefully removes her finger from my lips, smiling a little. My body begins to heat up a little as she moves in closer.

"Afterwards? After wh-"

But before I can finish my sentence I feel her lips touch mine. I'm startled, astounded, and as a result I just stand there for a few moments, utterly still. My first real kiss… It's only as she reaches up one warm hand and places it on my cheek that I realise how gormless she must think me right now. I carefully close my eyes, allowing myself to kiss her back. Her lips are soft and tender and she gently tilts her head a little. I reach up one hand, resting it on the back of her neck as she deepens the romance. I can feel my heart leaping inside of my chest… this is real. This is actually happening. I'm standing right here, kissing a beautiful girl. I let my emotions take over, moving deeper into the kiss as I begin to playfully nibble at her lower lip. I feel her other hand take the other cheek as she grips me tighter… she really likes me… she really really likes me…

"ZELDA'S GOT A BOYFRIEND!" Comes a loud, high pitched scream.

We pull apart quickly. Zelda is clearly flushed as she tries to smooth out her long golden hair. I stare at her in complete silence, my mouth still hanging open a little. My arms ache to hold her again but I distract myself from that thought as we both turn to look at the doors of the school. Tetra and Aryll stand in the doorway, giggling and laughing with each other. I can feel my face reddening as I carefully open the gate way, walking closer to my little sister.

"Hi Tetra! Hi Aryll!" Zelda says, trying to act natural as we near our siblings.

"Link and Zelda sitting in a tree," they sing, "K-I-S-S-I-N-G!"

"Aryll…" I say quietly, reaching down and sweeping her up into my arms.

"First comes love, then comes marriage. Then comes a baby in a carriage!" Tetra continues to sing as Zelda desperately tries to bundle her loud little sister into her coat and shut her up. I feel myself smiling as I slowly bounce Aryll up and down in my arms.

"Is Zelda your girlfriend now?" Aryll asks, playing with a piece of my fringe.

I turn to look at Zelda, watching as she stares at me. Her blue-indigo eyes are hopeful. I know what I want to say, and there's a small part of me that hopes it's what she wants me to say too. Aryll, however, quickly grows bored of waiting for an answer, and begins pulling at a clump of my hair. I scowl and carefully put her down on the ground, taking her hand as I turn to Zelda.

"Am I your boyfriend?" I ask, hoping for clarification.

She watches me for a few moments, her mouth opening and closing as she struggles to find an answer. It's just as my confidence begins to wane that she speaks up.

"Do you want to be my boyfriend?"

I feel myself smiling as relief washes over me. "Yeah… I do… do you?"

"Yes!"

I feel myself laughing in delight as I drop Aryll's hand, reaching out and pulling Zelda closer to me. Her slender body shudders with giggles as I spin her round and round, her long golden plait flying out around her. She throws her head back and my mind begins spinning with all the possibilities. This is it! This is what I've wanted so badly! This is everything I was waiting for! I can finally say that Zelda is a really and truly my girlfriend.

I carefully put her back down. She's still beaming in my arms and I know that I am too… She looks so beautiful when she's smiling. It's like her whole face suddenly becomes alight with happiness! I've never seen anything so beautiful. Aryll begins tugging at the sleeve of my coat, clearly bored. I sigh, reaching down and taking her hand, dragging myself away from Zelda and everything I've wanted.

The four of us begin to walk towards the gate. Zelda holds Tetra's hand in one of her hands, and mine with the other. I do the same with Aryll, and the four of us make our way over towards the gate.

"It's so cute!" Tetra squeals, "Are you going to get married? Can I be a bridesmaid? I want a pink dress!"

* * *

Epona is quiet and still as she lies on the floor of the stable. Her long sandy coloured mane is smooth and silky from where I just brushed it, and she rests her velvety nose on my knee where I sit cross legged on the floor. In my hands I hold a sketch pad and a soft pencil. Lines are beginning to form on the page, resembling my adorable little foal. She blinks her large dark eyes as I pause the sketching, reaching out and stroking her long mane. She's a little bigger than when I first met her. The regular feeds are making her grow bigger and stronger. Sheik reckons if I keep up the regular feeding and care for her properly, she'll be ready to start light exercise in about two years or so. I thought that was a long time when he first told me, but apparently that's normal for a horse. Either way, she's a beautiful little foal, and I intend to take good and proper care of her.

Honestly, the majority of the reason that I came out here is to sketch while I'm still in a good mood. I find if I'm in a better mood, I tend to do better quality work. Everything with Zelda today has put me in the best mood I've been since I got here. I finally feel like I'm putting my change into action. There's finally a reason for me to be happy now, and it just turns out that it's the most beautiful girl in the world causing me to smile…

But my day dreams are cut short as the door of the stable swings open. A long beam of light shines through the doorway and it causes me to squint. There's a tall silhouette stood in the doorway, but I think I already know who it is. He stands proud, arms crossed, looking very authoritative as he begins slowly walking towards me. I'm unable to read his expression because his back is turned to the sunlight, but I'm guessing he's angry…

"Hi Sheik," I mumble, carefully flipping the sketchbook shut. Epona slowly raises her head, studying Sheik with her deep brown eyes as he walks closer to me. His heavy boots thud against the flooring. I feel myself holding my breath, dreading whatever comes next. But luckily, much to my surprise, he simply sighs and collapses onto the floor next to me.

"Hey," he replies, reaching out his palm and offering it to Epona. She watches him to a few moments, letting herself sniff his open hand. She quickly realises he has no food to offer her, so returns to resting her head on my knee. I find myself staring at Sheik in confusion… I thought he might be mad? I thought he'd at least want to give me the big brother talk… but he just sits still and quiet, trying to summon up the words.

Eventually he speaks. "So you and Zelda, huh?"

"Uhh… yeah," I reply, "Me and Zelda." There's an awkward moment of silence between us as I try to figure out what to say. I need to let him know that this is something serious, that I don't want to hurt her. I want to tell him that his sister means a lot to me and that this is special. I feel like I should apologise for not telling him before I kissed her. Maybe I should have gone to him first? Should I have told him that I liked her?

"Listen, Sheik," I say. "I want you to know that I really care about Zelda. I don't want her to get hurt. I know it might cross a line… for a friend to go out with your twin sister, but-"

"Would you just relax, Link?" He replies, laughing. "I couldn't exactly be mad at you for going out with her! I'm with her best friend, it would be hypothetical!"

I frown. "Hypothetical? Don't you mean hypocritical?"

He rolls his eyes, leaning back a little. "You know what I meant!" He says, "I'm might not be the sharpest tool in the box, but I'm smart enough to realise that you're not a complete jack ass! You'll treat her right, I know that."

I feel a wave of relief wash over me as I grin, patting him on the shoulder. "Thanks Sheik, it really means a lot."

"No problem," he replies, looking down a little. "Although, and I mean this in all seriousness…" He turns, looking directly at me. His fiery red eyes are serious, stern. It's almost a little frightening. I swallow hard, noticing how the light and relaxed atmosphere has all but faded from the room. He reaches out one hand, taking my shoulder tight in his grip. He gives me and sharp meaningful shake as he leans forward a little, making me feel intimidated.

"If you ever," he says, "And I mean ever hurt her, if she ever cries over you, I'm going to make you regret even laying eyes on her. Have you got me?"

I nod silently, unable to conjure words for the burning pierce of his gaze.

"I'm being serious, Link," he growls. "If you break her heart, I'll break your bones. If she even sheds a tear I'll be shedding your skin. You got that? You have to promise me you won't hurt her."

I swallow hard, nodding again. "I promise."

He gets up silently, clapping me on the back to say he's satisfied. And with that, he silently walks away. His steps thud against the floor as he approaches the door, before shutting it with a loud bang. Leaving me and Epona, sitting in silence…

I've never been more scared in my life.


	13. Shade

**Oh right! I forgot this is what happens at stupid o'clock in the morning when I can't sleep because I'm worrying about my drama exam. Instead of doing something productive like… I don't know… going over my lines, maybe? I start procrastinating and writing a new chapter of my fanfiction which I don't need to write for another week, because I'm already ahead of my update schedule. *Sarcastic clap* I am just so damn smart aren't I? Anyways, you guys don't want to hear about me, you'd rather hear more from Link and his friends…**

**Thank you for the most ADORABLE reviews! That's to TheMysteriousDude, PrincessZelda450, PrincesscharmingKnight, ShadowNinja1011, Zelink4eva123, TheBlueAlienRobotZombie, CreCra, SxDsX, prettyguardianofhyrule, burning book, Hanyoualchemist1, Neez, SkYeLiMiT, Franne, GameCivilization, zeldahope9, and lars! You guys are all awesome ;)**

**Thank you to Princess Zelda-figure skater for beta reading!**

* * *

I watch Oliz soundly sleeping in his tiny little cot. He looks so at peace while his little eyelids flutter because he's dreaming… I wander what he's dreaming about? If he's anything like me it'll probably be food. I feel a small smile cross my lips as his tiny hand curls around my finger in the serenity and quiet of this almost silent house. He's a lucky little guy… and he doesn't even know it yet. I wish I could be just like him. He doesn't have a care in the world. He's too innocent to have to worry about bullies, too young to be put under pressure from school. He doesn't even have anything to regret… In his little world, everything is funny and friendly. He wakes up whenever he pleases, eats, plays with his toys, poops, and then goes back to sleep. Lucky little guy...

I never had anyone to play with growing up. Dad had to work all the time so I rarely got to see him, and once I'd started school, mum went back to work too. It was kind of lonely. No one in my primary school really liked me, so I used to play on my own. I remember from when I was about 6; I went through a phase where I had an imaginary friend. I called him Shade… I was awful when it came to Shade. I used to insist that he always had somewhere to sit in the living room. I made mum lay him a place at the dinner table, and I made him a card for his 'birthday'. We read books together, played together, talked together… I even slept of the very edge of my bed so there was room for him too. Shade was something special to me. Never really having had any friends of my own, it felt good to have someone around to keep me company.

I think I really stopped playing with Shade once I was nine, around the time that Aryll was born… Mum and dad were tired from the late nights taking care of a baby girl so wouldn't put up with any of my nonsense. Mum stopped laying him a place at the dinner table. He never had anywhere to sit because Aryll's stuff was everywhere, and slowly, bit by bit, we stopped doing things together. I started to sit alone at school, went back to reading books in my head, and Shade began to gently fade into the back of my mind. And even though I know Shade was never real, even to this day, I still feel a pang of guilt in the pit of my stomach when I think about him.

I think, in reality, that's when I started to become more introverted. No one understood me like Shade did. But the more my parents tried to get me to go out and make friends, the further into my shell I crawled. After I stopped playing with Shade, I hid myself from the rest of the world and all my bottled, pent up emotions began to come out with a pencil and paintbrush.

But I don't want that to happen to Oliz. I don't want him to have to resort to imagining his own friends. I want him to always have someone to play with… me. I want us to race model cars through the house together. I want to read him all the stories of the legendary heroes… and I want to teach him how to draw. I want to make sure that this little boy grows up in a happy house and enjoys his childhood, because I would kick myself if he ends up like me as a teenager.

And now, here I sit. My sketch book rests on my lap, open to a clean page. I set my nimble fingers to work, drawing that tiny little boy on my page. I sketch in his little black curls, his dainty little finger nails, and his tiny little lips. I take extra care to add texture to his crumpled, folded blankets. I even draw in the stuffed Chu toy that he sleeps with… Once I'm satisfied that I've done enough, I carefully lay my pencil down beside me and hold the sketch pad up at arm's length. I find it always helps to examine work from a different angle.

Suddenly, I feel a strange sensation in my ear, accompanied by a load whooshing sound. I jump; startled out of my skin as I duck away from that horrible sensation… someone blew in my ear! But it's already too late; I've completely lost my balance on the chair I was sat on. My body slips from the wooden frame and collides with the floor with a satisfying thump. There's loud cackling laughter from above me as I try to regain some semblance of dignity, climbing back up to my feet and brushing off my clothes.

"I'm sorry Link," Midna says, still laughing. "I couldn't resist!"

"Of course not…" I reply, smirking a little as I try to smooth out my hair.

Midna stands in front of me, dressed in a red and black striped dress. All up her arms she wears her leather and string bracelets, and she still wears the same heavy black eye make-up as the first time I saw her. I glance down at my own clothes… a pair of old faded jeans and my favourite green hoodie… not exactly on-trend…

"What are you doing here?" I ask, trying to distract from my previous fall.

"Oh," she smiles, "me and Zellie are meant to be doing some Goddessology homework together, but her mum asked for some help with the chickens. So while she was busy, I figured I might as well come and see what you're up to!"

"Oh, me? Nothing… I'm just checking up on little Oliz…" I bluff, stroking the back of my neck. Why am I so bad at lying?

"Really?" she asks, crossing her arms pointedly. "Because when I came in, it looked like you were doing some sketching…"

"No…. no," I lie, "that doesn't sound familiar."

"Uh-hu…" she murmurs, no longer paying attention to me as her eyes scan the floor. "Is this your sketchbook?"

I follower her gaze, down to where my sketching pad lies flat on the floor, half-tucked beneath Oliz's crib. It's open to the sketch of him… I swallow hard as Midna stoops down to carefully pick it up. I find myself subconsciously running my fingers through my hair. Oh dear… I didn't want anyone to see that sketch yet. I've only been working on it for like ten minutes, and it's not even properly shaded yet…

"Link…" she breathes.

"I know," I whine. "I know it's not as good as the sketch I did of Sheik the other day. I'm not done yet, it's only a first draught, and a work in progress… I…" Damnit! This is why I don't like people looking at my work!

"This is really good!" she smiles, handing it back to me.

I stop for a moment, unsure of what to say. Is she just saying that because I ran off all that spiel about how bad it was?

I swallow hard. "Are you lying?" I ask.

She shakes her head, laughing. "And why would I do that?"

"To save my feelings?" I reply, shrugging.

I watch as she rolls her eyes, stepping a little closer to me. "Link, I'm… uhh… umm… what's the nice word for rude?"

"Honest?"

"Honest! I'm a very honest person! If you couldn't draw, I'd just come out and say it. After all, what would I even gain from lying?" she watches me, one eyebrow raised, waiting for a response.

"I suppose…" I mumble.

"Exactly!" she exclaims, "Just learn to take the compliment Link!"

I guess she might be right… having hidden my work away from other people for so long, I find it kind of hard to accept compliments. There's always a tiny little voice in the back of my mind that tells me they're just mocking me. I know it's ridiculous… but it's all I know. I guess the truth of the matter is simple. If you tell me I'm good at art, I'll have trouble believing you. But if you insult my work, I'll never forget about it… Is that really bad?

"Anyway, enough about that…" She says, her voice now softer as she walks slowly towards Oliz's crib. She rests her hands on the ledge, letting her head sink into her shoulders as she stares adoringly at the little boy who's sound asleep. I feel a small protective instinct rise inside of me, making me step close so I can stand next to her. I'm not exactly sure why… she's my friend, she would never hurt him.

"How old is he now?" she asks.

I glance down at my watch, doing a quick calculation in my mind before meeting Midna's gaze again. "In three and a half hours he'll be exactly 6 days old."

"Aww…" She coos, looking down at him with soft eyes. she smiles, giggling as she says: "Oh he's such a cutie!"

I laugh lightly while Midna strokes his smooth cheek with the backs of her fingers. Oliz lets out a little sigh of contentedness, turning his head towards the sensation of Midna's touch. There's a brief moment of comfortable silence between us, before she looks up again. Her fiery red eyes meet mine as she lets herself smirk a little. I frown… what is she looking so pleased with herself for? Does she know something I don't?

"What is it?" I ask, leaning a little closer towards her.

"Oh… nothing…" she smirks, "It's just, me and Zellie have been having some interesting chats."

I swallow hard, instinctively straightening up as a tight frown knits over my brow. Uh-oh… that doesn't sound good.

"Chats?" I ask, raising one eyebrow.

"Oh yes…" she breathes, "Here's the thing you boys don't learn about girls until you get a girlfriend, Link. You see… we compare you all!"

I feel my eyebrows shoot hallway up my forehead, I'm surprised they're not already in my hairline. "Compare? How do you mean?"

She laughs. "We swap notes on what you guys are like kissing. Softness, speed, whether or not you use too much tongue! It's kind of like a more innocent version of salty sailor talk!"

I wipe my mouth with the back of my hand, as if trying to remove a sour taste. Salty sailor talk? That sounds bad, to say the very least. I shake my head a little, trying to wipe my mind of the thought of Midna and Zelda sat down and swapping gossip on me and Sheik. I'm still finding it hard to stomach the fact that Zelda told Midna all about our kiss… and although I'm a little alienated, there's a tiny part of me that's curious to know what she said.

"She told you about me?" I ask.

Midna laughs knowingly, nodding her head. "Oh yeah!"

"And…" I mumble, trying not to sound too keen. "Softness, speed, tongue… what did she say?"

Midna laughs again, cottoning onto exactly what I'm doing. She carefully cups my cheek as she meets my gaze, looking almost pitiful. "Spoilers, Link!"

And with that, she sashays past me. Her hips sway from side to side as she walks, her black and red striped dress flowing out behind her. As she reaches the doorway, she stops for a moment, turning back to look at me.

"Although…" she murmurs, "I wouldn't worry about it Link. Apparently, you used just the right amount of tongue." And with that and a secretive wink, she saunters out of the room, carefully closing the door behind her. And I'm left, stood next to a baby's crib, blushing bright red like a tomato.

* * *

"Now Aryll…" I say, turning to her with three little bottles of brightly coloured liquid in my hand. "Do you want the icing to be blue, red, or yellow?"

"Green!" she exclaims, completely ignoring my offering of three colours. I roll my eyes, putting a drop each of the blue and yellow into the bowl of sweet sugary icing. I then pass the large bowl to my little sister, who sets to work manically stirring it with the large wooden spoon. She pokes the tip of her tongue out from between her lips, furiously concentrating as she works. Small drops of the icing splatter over the edges of the bowl, though it seems as though Aryll hasn't noticed.

"Hey… hey!" I say, steadying her hand and helping her to move it more slowly. "Take it easy Aryll, ok?"

She nods obediently, now stirring the mixture in softer, slower circles. I straighten myself up as I turn, smiling at my mum who's leaning up against the counter. She's noticeably smaller than she was just a week ago. The worst of her baby bump had now faded, though she still looks tired and worn out from caring for Oliz. I give her a sympathetic smile as I allow myself to lean back against the counter with her.

This was mum's idea, the baking. She and Aryll have always loved baking together. Brownies, flapjacks, cookies, cupcakes, you name it, they've made it. It's always been a mother daughter thing they've done together, even when we lived back in Castle Town. Every Saturday afternoon, they'd go into the kitchen together and make a batch of some kind of delicious treat… and now, for the first time, mum asked me if I'd like to join in.

"You know, Link," mum says, smiling at me, "you're a natural cook!"

"Thanks!" I reply, giving her a bright smile.

Just at that moment, the oven begins bleeping behind me. It's signalling that the cakes have finished cooking. Mum pushes herself away from the side, ready to take out the cupcakes, but I just give her a knowing smile.

"It's cool," I say. "I've got this."

She watches in silence as I pick up the pair of oven gloves from the side, slipping the thick fabric over my hands. I stoop down onto one knee, pulling open the metal door to the oven. I'm immediately hit with a wave of heat, but I quickly wave it away with a flick of the hand. I allow my eyes to fall onto the golden brown cupcakes sat in front of me. They look amazing, and they've been baked to perfection. I lick my lips hungrily as I reach out, taking the baking tray in my gloved hands and pulling it out of the oven. I carefully kick the door shut with the toe of my black converses, before laying the tray of cupcakes down on top of the oven.

"Wow… these look good!" mum says, grabbing the cooling rack from where it lies on the side. She carefully sets to work using a fork to take the cupcakes from the baking tray, and moving them onto the cooling rack. Each one looks sweet and sugary and makes me hungry just watching them…

"Can we ice them yet?" Aryll asks, standing up on her tip toes to get a look.

"Not yet!" I reply, "They're too hot, the icing will just melt!"

But before we can say anything further in this conversation, we're cut short by the kitchen door being thrown open. We all turn, staring in shock and horror as my dad makes his way into the room, slamming the door shut behind him. His clothes are dusty and grey, dirtied with the day's work at the farm house. Yet something seems worse than usual. His arms are scattered with little cuts, and his hair is chalked with white dust. I can see a few bruises on the tips of his fingers, his shirt is patched with water, and he looks exhausted.

"Dad…" I murmur. "What the heck happened to you?"

"I'm fine!" he says, "I just need a drink of water…"

I hurry over to the other side of the kitchen, pulling open a cupboard and producing a glass. As I walk over to the tap and begin to fill it up, he begins explaining what happened.

"I was down at the farm house," he begins, "doing some work on the walls. I was putting in new insulation in the living room, when suddenly there was this big crash behind me!"

Mum swallows hard. "What happened?" she asks as I hand him the glass of water.

"The roof has collapsed in…" he says between the gulps of water. I feel my heart sinking in my chest. My parents had already been saying they were struggling with the house. They can't afford to repair a roof! That's going to cost too much! I can already see my mother running her hands through her hair, clearly stressed out by the situation. She's a lot like me in that respect… she's easily panicked, especially about things like this.

"How bad is it?" she asks.

"Bad…" dad breathes, "There's water everywhere, I think the weight of it put too much pressure on the roof. It's well and truly collapsed. We're going to need a specialist in to get it fixed."

I purse my lips a little as I think. "Can't you do it?" I ask.

Dad shakes his head before draining the last few drops of water from his glass. "I can't," he says, putting the empty cup in the sink. "It's beyond my expertise,"

"How the heck are we going to afford that?" mum asks, her voice now rising in pitch. "We can barely afford the repairs as it is!"

"I know darling," dad says, walking over and taking her hands. "But we've got no other option!"

"Money doesn't grow on trees!" she retorts, "We don't have the money to pay for roof repairs!"

"We can't just leave it!" dad says, beginning to raise his voice.

"How do you expect to pay for it?" she replies, now shouting too.

I watch in silence, too afraid to say anything, as my parents yell for what seems like eternity. They're not mad with each other. That is not what's happening here. They're just frustrated and confused and neither of them really knows what they're going to do about this. I swallow hard, closing my eyes as I try not to think about the situation… this isn't what was supposed to happen when we moved to the countryside.

I feel a slight tugging sensation at the sleeve of my jacket. I hurriedly open my eyes, glancing down to see Aryll looking up at me with a sad expression on her face. I sigh, stooping down and sweeping her up into my arms, holding her close to me.

"Why are mummy and daddy arguing?" she whispers into my pointed ear.

I swallow hard, how am I supposed to explain this to a six year old? Oh yeah Aryll, mum and dad are in a screaming match because we don't have enough money to fix something that's meant to be our dream home. Dad's unemployed because he's spending all his time fixing the house. Mum's unemployed too because she just had a baby, so we've got no income whatsoever! But that's all fine, because we'll just spend the rest of our lives living in a B&B.

"It's just silly, Aryll," I reply. "Hey, do you want to come and have a go on my WiiU?"

I watch as her face lights up with excitement. I knew that was the one thing that would distract her from this type of situation. She begins to wriggle eagerly in my arms, trying to get down so she can get to my WiiU faster. She's been desperate to play on it for ages… I laugh a little, setting her down on the kitchen floor. As soon as her feet touch the tiles she races off through the door. I smile as I watch her go.

"I'll be there in a minute, Aryll!" I call after her. Before turning to my parents, they're both still shouting at each other, neither of them seeming to have even noticed that Aryll has left. I'm about to speak up, to say something, when suddenly; a high pitched wail can be heard from the next room. Both my parents fall silent, turning to glance at the door of the nursery. My mum sighs a little, looking exhausted already.

"I'll go deal with him," mum says. "We'll talk about this later."


	14. Sketchpad

**It's time to answer some more reviewer questions me thinks! Hehe!  
_How long is this story going to be?_ 20 chapters!  
_Have you done research on this subject [giving birth]? _Well, not research as such, but I was there when my auntie gave birth to my cousin six months ago, so I remember what happened there! I wrote from my own experience!  
_Are you British? _Yes! I am! I live in England and have done for me whole life! (That's probably the cause of some confusing English dialect for my American readers... I must apologise!)  
_Do girls actually compare guys? _Oh yes! We most definitely do! Girls tell each other EVERYTHING! ;)  
**

**Anyway, enough about that! Time for some thanking of my awesome reviewers! That's to TheMysteriousDude, zeldahope9, GameCivilization, Franne, PrincesscharmingKnight, LeilaEditer, ShadowNinja1011, Hanyoualchemist1, prettyguardianofhyrule, TheBlueAlienRobotZombie, LEva114, sslamajama97 (your review was ADORABLE!), CreCra, Neez, and zoozo00!**

**Thank you to Princess Zelda figure skater for beta reading!**

* * *

The soft sound of the radio in the background is a comforting rhythm to help me paint. The air is warm, and there's the lingering smell of drying clay work and oil paints lined up on the metal drying racks. Miss Impa hums quietly as she flips through a student's sketchbook, grading their work with sugar paper and a soft pencil not to ruin their art. The early afternoon sun streaks through the windows, giving me the perfect light to work from.

I love it in here, there's something so comforting and compelling about an art classroom. I don't know if it's the paint splattered desks or the slightly disorganized feel, but it's much less restricting than the other classrooms. It's also helped by the way Miss Impa choses to decorate her room. There are large 3D paper mache models of birds hanging from the ceiling, and abstract canvases lining the walls. There are illustrations of the human body laid out in a variety of ways, black and white line sketches, and steam-punk style contraptions. It's cluttered and chaotic and all the craziness is just inspiring.

I sit at one of the stained wooden desks near the window. My legs are tucked underneath my chair and my schoolbag lies open in the space next to me. Spread out on my desk is my sketchpad, a tin of watercolours, a mixing palette and a small tub of water. I carefully reach out, dabbing my small brush into the water, before swilling it around in the brown paint. It takes me a few attempts at mixing brown, white, and red before I finally manage to create the perfect chestnut colour for my sketch.

I'm putting water colours to my picture of Epona. I've done so many sketches of that little foal. I decided that it's finally time to make one a proper work of art. She's such a beautiful animal, with her deep dark eyes and long sandy main… there hero of legend certainly chose the right creature to aid him on his quest. I long for the day when, a few years from now, Epona is old enough to ride. I can imagine the two of us sprinting through the grassy fields together… I'll be an adult by then…

I push the thought to the back of my mind as I hear Miss Impa get up from where she sits. Honestly, I think she's the coolest teacher in this school. She's the only one that really understands where I'm coming from. Maybe it's because she's younger? Maybe she can understand our point of view better? Or maybe it's just because she's an artist too so she can interpret my mind set… either way, she's loved by lots of the kids at this school, even the ones who don't take art. And I know for a fact that lots of the boys have a crush on her.

She slowly makes her way over to me. Her skinny, coffee coloured arms swing about her waist as she wanders over. Her long blonde braid sways around her shoulder as she walks, and I can't help but wonder how long her hair is when she doesn't braid it… Her amber eyes are happy and shining as she approaches me, leaning over my desk in her blue and orange jump suit. Her fingers carefully run over the binder of my sketch pad and she examines the water coloured sketch.

"Hmm…" she murmurs. Her eyes are narrowed and her lips are set into a long thin line as she studies my work. I swallow hard, I've never seen a response like that…

"Is there something wrong?" I ask, unsure of what to say.

"Nothing wrong…" she replies. "I'm just wandering…" Her voice trails off into silence as she spins the sketch pad around to directly face her with her nimble fingers. Her eyes flicker up and down a little as she scans the water coloured painting. Her expression is very pensive, and I'm having great difficulty understanding what she's thinking. I reach up; resting my head in my hands and rubbing my temples… what is she doing?

"…Miss?" I query, still uncertain.

"Sorry!" she mumbles, her eyes suddenly flickering as she snaps back to attention. She picks up my sketch pad, taking it away from me as she points one long finger at the tin of watercolour paints on my desk.

"Did you use those to paint this?" she asks, still studying the sketch.

"Yeah…" I mumble.

"Hmm…" she says, setting her lips even thinner. "If I were you, I'd have used watercolour pencils instead."

I frown. "Why? They get the same results don't they? And I thought water colour paints had better colours anyway?"

She nods, "yes, that's true, but water colour pencils allow you to add more details. And I think with animals, that's a better option."

I nod, taking in her advice; I guess she's got a point really. You can add more detail with a watercolour pencil than a brush… I watch Miss Impa slowly saunter back over to her desk, considering my own thoughts. She really knows what she's talking about when it comes to things like this… and I'm so glad that she's my art teacher. There's only one other art teacher at this school, and that's a pasty old professor whose blading and portly. Plus, he's really strict…

Suddenly, a loud ringing sound blares through the classroom, pulling me from my own thoughts. I snap my gaze over to the clock, glancing at the time. Shoot! It's two o'clock! I'm already late for my afternoon registration. This school has a dumb ruling that I have to be there on the bell… drat! I jump to my feet, my stool scraping along the ground as I do. I hurriedly snap my sketchbook shut, carefully closing the lid on the watercolours and grabbing the palette.

"Don't worry, Link," Miss Impa says smiling. "I'll handle that. You just get to your form room, and fast!"

I nod my thanks, slinging my bag up over my shoulder and racing towards the door, pushing out into the open. My heart is already thumping hard as I speed dash across the playground towards the main block of the school. This is ridiculous… about a week ago I said I was starting new, turning over a new leaf. But I've already been late to school and I keep turning up late to my form room! I always lose track of time in that art room! I get so caught up sketching or painting that I completely forget that I have somewhere to be!

I push open the heavy wooden door to the main building, allowing myself entry. My feet make a small tapping sound that echoes in the now empty corridors as I race down them. Well done Link… Professor Shad is going to be so proud of you… great! Now even my own thoughts are sarcastic! I clutch my sketchbook tight in my grip, willing myself not to drop it along the way. I reach the corner of the corridor, my feet skidding and sliding along the well-polished floor tiles as I race around the ninety degree angle. Its ok Link, you're nearly there…

But as I turn the final corner, I can see them. They stand together, loitering down the corridor. They're listening to music on their mobile phones and laughing at one another's awful jokes. They wear their leather jackets, one red and one purple, which matches their jewel stud earrings. Ghirahim wears the collar of his jacket turned up, nearing his pointed ears as he lets out another low cackle. As for his accomplice, Vaati: he skulks against the radiator making sadistic jokes to his friend.

I glance nervously at my wristwatch. This is bad, I don't have the time to turn back and go a different route. Maybe if I'm lucky and keep my head down, they won't give me any hassle. After all, my form room is just behind them. They won't bother to pick a fight so close to where teachers are… right? I swallow hard, nodding to myself as I break out into a face paced walk. I can do this Link… just avoid eye contact and walk straight past them. There's nothing they can really do to you if you just-

"Hey! Look Vaati! Its city boy!" Comes Ghirahim's venomous voice.

I swallow hard, ducking my head a little lower as I pick up the pace of my walk. It's ok Link, just don't respond to them. You know what everyone always says, don't feed the trolls.

"Hey!" Vaati yells, "City boy!"

"City boy!"

"Oi! City boy! We're talking to you!"

"Didn't anyone ever tell you it's rude to ignore someone?"

I feel myself growling as I whip around, turning to look at them. "Didn't anyone ever tell you it's rude to pick on people?"

As soon as the words tumble from my lips, I regret them. Why would I say something like that? How could I be so stupid? You're only going to provoke them, Link! And sure enough, I've not choice but to watch in silence as Vaati pockets his phone. His eyes are narrowed as he takes a few steps closer to me, lips curled in disgust and distain. Well done Link, you've only gone and poked the hornets' nest.

"Sorry, is the posh little city prick talking back to us?" Vaati says, turning back to look at his accomplice.

Ghirahim smirks, flipping the fringe of his snowy white hair as he confidently strides past his friend, making a bee line for me. Darn… there's no way I can get away from here. If I leg it, I can't get round to my form room, but if I stay, I'm going to have to take a beating from Ghirahim and Vaati.

"You got anything else you want to say, city boy?" Ghirahim spits, his daring purple eyes glancing me up and down. I can already tell that he's sizing me up…

"No…" I mumble, looking down at my feet. "Now if you'll excuse me, I've got somewhere to be."

I side step him, moving over onto a more open pathway. Yet as I attempt to pass, Ghirahim throws one iron arm out in front of me, before pushing me back a few paces. I sigh, gripping tight onto the handle of my bag as I attempt to move around him again. I only receive the same result.

"Can you just let me get to my form room?" I snap, growing short of patience.

"So now you're making demands?" Vaati cackles. "What misplaced courage this one has…"

I make one final attempt to pass them. I quickly push Ghirahim aside, completely clearing my path to proceed forward. I feel a small sense of pride and relief wash over me as I stride confidently past Ghirahim. Vaati is left with no choice but to watch in stunned silence, his mouth hanging open. Yet as I near him… everything starts to go really wrong.

Before I have time to react, before I even realise what's going on, he lashes out with one hand. My sketchbook is snatched from my grip faster than lightning as I reel around, trying to understand what just happened. Then my eyes fall on Vaati, flipping through the pages of my sketchbook as his friend catches up to us both. They begin laughing at each picture they happen upon, making the very blood in my veins boil.

"Give that back!" I growl, lashing out and trying to grab it. But much to my misfortune, Vaati pulls it back just out of my reach. They continue looking, laughing at each and every single sketch. This isn't fair… this isn't right. They can't just nose through my personal property like this! That sketchbook is meant to be private! Ghirahim turns a page, and they both take a glance at the sketch within. Suddenly, both boys begin cackling aloud with undeniable, untamed laughter as they examine the picture.

"What's so funny?" I spit.

"Aww look!" Ghirahim laughs, "City boy drew his boyfriend!"

He turns the sketchbook around so I can see what they both found so amusing. As he presents the image to me, I find myself looking at the line sketch I drew of Sheik that late night in the barn…

_"So," I say, flipping open my sketch pad and picking out fairly soft pencil. "Who should I draw?"_

_"Draw me!" Sheik exclaims, eagerly raising his hand as he chomps a mouthful of marshmallow. I smile, feeling a small laugh spread through me as I touch my pencil to the paper, setting to work by drawing an initial skeleton._

"Sheik's not my boyfriend," I reply, rolling my eyes at their juvenile joke.

"Aww, is city boy a raging homo? Are you coming out the closet, gay boy?" Vaati says in a sing-song tone.

I frown. "Homophobe."

Ghirahim cackles with laughter again as he snatches the sketchbook from his friend. "So you are saying that you're a batty boy?"

I roll my eyes again as I step closer. "No, I just don't like homophobia. Now, jokes over, just give me my sketchbook back and-"

But Ghirahim pulls his hand back away from me, taking my sketchpad just beyond my reach. I scowl as he raises his eyebrows tauntingly. "Just for your attitude, you can kiss goodbye to your precious sketchbook."

And suddenly; I swear to the Goddesses it's like my whole world just comes to a standstill. I can't move. I feel almost paralyzed as Ghirahim's laughing face turns away from me, taking my book with him. I watch in silence as he and Vaati stroll off down the corridor, laughing as they flip through all my hard work. I want so badly to yell at them, to scream, to cry… I want to chase after them and steal that book back for my own. I know, I'm completely and utterly pathetic for letting something as trivial as a few bits of paper get to me this much. But I poured my heart and soul onto those pages… and now they're in the wrong hands. My mouth hangs open, and I can already feel my throat begin to ache… but I won't let myself cry.

There's a loud ringing noise, and doors from all around me slowly begin to open. People traipse through, heading to their last lesson of the day. Friends talk and laugh, joke-shoving each other around in the crowded corridors. People are bustling past me, pushing through, yet I feel myself stood still as a statue, my heart sinking like a stone. I'm silently praying that everything is going to be ok, that Ghirahim won't mess with my work… but I know he's not that kind of person. I know that no matter what happens now; this isn't going to end well.

* * *

I sit in last period Hylian class. My fingers are drumming impatiently on the table top as I count each second that passes. My eyes never move from the clock, my patience growing thinner.

Nine… eight... seven…

This day has been a screw up. I thought it was going well. Miss Impa was helping me with my artwork, me and Zelda announced our relationship to the group, and I even found a fiver in the canteen. It was all hunky dorey right up until Ghirahim and Vaati stole my most prized possession.

Six… five… four…

I can't believe that even they'd have the nerve to do something like that. I even saw them showing it to Groose… who found it most amusing. My fingers curl tighter as I think of the cruel smirk on his stupid face. I wanted to bash that look right out of him.

Three… two…

"Hey! Link!" Dark whispers, elbowing me. "Are you ok?"

"Fine," I spit.

One…

As soon as the final bell of the day rings, I jump to my feet. I shove my books and pencil case into my bag as quickly as I possibly can, before yanking the zip shut. I pull my coat on and sling my bag over my shoulder and give Dark a quick nod, before pacing towards the door. I don't even give him a chance to ask me what's going on. I'm out of that door and pacing down the corridors quicker than you could say Lon Lon bed and breakfast.

"Hey! Link, wait up!" Comes a female voice from behind me. I feel my mind whirring for a second, I know that voice. It's Zelda… I want to turn back and talk to her, but right now I know that I'm in too much of an awful mood. I'd just snap at her. We'd end up arguing… and I don't want to do that to her, so I press on. I push through the bustling corridors, trying to move away whilst remaining undetected, acting like I didn't hear her.

"Link!" she calls, a little louder this time.

I feel my head flop forward as I push open the exit to the main building. I feel kind of guilty for ignoring her, but I know it's honestly for the best. I don't want to snap at her, I don't want to upset her. So right now it's just easier to walk away. The late winter sun is beating down over the courtyard, causing me to squint as I try to push forward. I just want to get on that bus, go home, and forget that any of this ever happened.

But as I pass the bollards marking the edge of the school, I feel a warm hand wrap around my lower arm. It stops me in my tracks, spinning my back around to face whoever it belongs to. As I cast my gaze up, my eyes fall on the beautiful Zelda. It's just as I suspected. Her long lashes sweep upwards as she looks at me, slowly taking my hand. Her beautifully coloured eyes look worried, sad as she gives my hand a gentle squeeze.

"What's wrong?" she asks, her voice soft.

"It doesn't matter," I reply, starting to turn away. But she just grips my arm a little tighter and turns me back around to face her. With her other hand, she softly cups my cheek. Her touch is tender but meaningful, and her eyes are filled with sympathy. The way she looks at me just makes me want to melt where I stand… I never wanted her to feel sorry for me. I just wanted to avoid this being a problem. But I realise it's already too late for that as I feel my throat begins to ache with the tears ready to fall.

"Link, don't lie to me," she says, her voice gentle but stern.

"I don't want to talk about it…" I reply.


	15. Confrontation

**Ugh… I don't know what's going on with this chapter guys. I've tried re-writing it like four times but I honestly think my brain is frazzled at the moment from all my revision! Stupid exams… *sigh* oh well, here it is anyway!**

**A mahoosive thank you to the worlds best reviewers! Seriously, I can't tell you guys how awesome you all are! Thanks to ShadowNinja1011, TheMysteriousDude, sslamajama97, Franne, PrincesscharmingKnight, Hanyoualchemist1, prettyguardianofhyrule, Sartana, bruning book, CreCra, TheBlueAlienRobotZombie, GameCivilization, TheDrone, Bleachshowlover1, lars, and Neez!**

**Thank you to Princess Zelda-figure skater for beta reading!**

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_**Dark's POV:**_

"Ok, seriously," I say, flipping the fringe of my jet black hair. "Enough with the jokes!"

"I'm not joking!" Sheik says, giving me a meaningful wink as he puts his hands into the pockets of his school blazer. "I'm just saying, me and Midna are together, and so are Link and Zelda… it's only you and Saria to go!"

I laugh a little as I straighten my backpack on my shoulders. "Oh please! Just because you guys all got together, and I'm very happy for you by the way, it doesn't mean that Saria and I are going to be a couple!"

I find myself sighing heavily. In complete honesty, I'm getting rather sick of all the Saria jokes. I get it… they've kind of picked up on the fact that I maybe have a hint of feelings for Saria… but the endless jokes are driving me crazy. She's cottoning on to it all too, though she seems to find it more funny than I do. Maybe it's because she doesn't actually like me. I don't say that because I want pity, I don't say it because I want to get sympathy. I say it because it's true.

She's amazing, she's funny, she's smart, and she's a really lovely person. But that's not all, she's talented too. She can write a story that can make even Sheik cry, and she sings like she's got magic in her throat. I find myself constantly astounded by how beautiful she is; with her gorgeous eyes and her adorable pixie haircut. But what am I compared to someone as amazing as her? I'm a shadow, that's all there is too me, and probably all there ever will be. Why would a girl who's as amazing as she is waste her time on a guy like me?

"Just you wait," Sheik says, patting me on the back. "I give it two weeks, tops!"

"You're talking crazy!" I exclaim.

"Not crazy!" Sheik laughs, "Come on Link, back me up!"

We both turn to look at Link. He's walking along just behind us, looking down at his feet as he does. His blue eyes look shallow and sad… something's wrong…

"Hey," Sheik says, jabbing his elbow into Link's forearm. "Link, Link! Back me up here!"

There's a delayed reaction before Link looks up, his blue eyes looking at Sheik for a few moments before he shrugs. "Yeah, sure, whatever you say."

At that moment we reach the doors of the school library. Sheik reaches out, pulling open the heavy wooden door and holding it for us all to pass through. As we enter the room, I take in my surroundings. Large circular tables are spread out in the centre of the room, each with five chairs around them. Various students sit at these tables, some doing homework, some reading, and some on laptops. Just beyond this area are numerous shelves of non-fiction books. The majority of these books are for the use of students studying exams. They have text books from every lesson imaginable, and they cover every single topic. I've spent so many lunchtimes in here when I'm revising, just so I can have access to all these reference books.

To the left of the main seating area, there's a small computer zone. Fold away computers are set up inside the desks. These computers are fine for homework or research, but the internet is restricted to only search engines to stop people from playing video games. Not only that, but quite often, the computers are broken. The year eights enjoy hacking the systems to cause the computers to malfunction, much to the dismay of the school's tech support team.

In the right hand corner of the library, there's something called a 'fiction zone'. In this area, there's a set of squashy, comfortable red chairs set out, as well as a number of bean bags. This is an area for lower school students only, they can come here to read story books and discuss them whilst at book club. There's a small selection of shelves just beyond this, but they're only for students aged sixteen and over.

As we walk into the library, we make our way past the main desk where one would check out books or buy stationary. The librarian looks at us over the rim of her spectacles, judging us with her cool grey eyes. Her lips are pulled into a thin, tight purse as she sniffs displeasingly. Let's just say the librarians in this school aren't exactly friendly… they'll kick you out for talking anything louder than the quietest whisper, and they get very snotty about the way the library is organised. You can't eat, drink, or wear a coat in here. There is to be no 'petting' as she puts it, and no 'teenage banter'.

The three of us wander over to a table where we can already see Midna, Zelda, and Saria sat. They each greet us with a warm smile, a wave, or a 'hello'. Link and I settle down in the already available seats and Sheik quickly grabs one from the next table.

"Come on then, Link," I whisper, as I rummage through my school bag for my pencil case. "Spit it out!"

He frowns. "What do you mean?"

"Oh come on!" Sheik exclaims, "You've been moping around all day! Just tell us what's wrong!"

"Shh!" the librarian hisses, holding one rigid finger up to her lips as she gives Sheik a death glare over the rims of her spectacles.

He gives her a sheepish smile as he mouths the word 'sorry' before turning back to Link. I sigh, plopping my Geography book down on the table and flipping it open to my homework.

"Let's not play cat and mouse, Link," I sigh. "Just tell us what's up."

"I'm not talking about this!" he whispers in reply, though I can tell he's already stressing about the matter. I turn, looking around at our group of friends. Midna simply shrugs, Sheik sighs, and Saria gives me a sympathetic smile. For a moment, I lose myself watching her, but I quickly snap my attention back to Link.

Zelda turns to him, carefully taking his hand as she climbs up to her feet. "Right, come on," she whispers, "we're going to talk this through."

Link's shoulders droop a little, but he reluctantly climbs up to his feet. They two of them receive a strict word from the librarian about holding hands in the library, before they walk off into the reference section together. The other four of us are left sitting around the table, doing our homework or reading books. I set my mind to focus on rock formations and the different types of plate margins. But my deep thought is quickly interrupted as Sheik leans forward.

"So, what do you reckon was up with Link?" he eagerly says.

"I don't know," Midna murmurs, "I mean Link's great… but he gets upset really easily!"

"I don't think that's true," Saria sighs. "He's had a lot happen to him lately, I can't really blame him for being down. You know what he told me the other day? He said the roof of his house had fallen through!"

"No way!" I reply.

"SHH!" the librarian hisses to me. I give her a quick nod in apology before turning back to my friends.

"Yeah," Saria replies. "It's causing real trouble for him. Plus with the new baby, it can't be easy!"

"You're right…" Sheik says in a hushed tone.

"I'll tell you one thing, though," Midna interjects. "I think Zelda's definitely helping him out… he seems to be much better off now that he's with her."

"Yeah…" I mumble as I watch him.

I would be lying if I said I wasn't a little jealous of Link. It's not that I have feelings for Zelda. Don't get me wrong, she's a nice girl, but I don't think I'd want her as my girlfriend. It's more the fact that he's happy with her. It was easier for him; she clearly liked him from the first day he arrived. The way she wouldn't stop endlessly blabbering about him on his first day of school made it so obvious. And although Link didn't realise it at first, I think he liked her from the start too. I know their relationship was by no means simple, but at least it all worked out ok for them in the end. I feel my heart sinking a little as I look up at Saria. I've been praying to Hylia for weeks now for the courage to tell Saria how I feel. I've begged and pleaded that I could summon up the guts to tell her that I like her. But I just can't seem to do it… and I don't know what's holding me back.

"Let's just not think about it, ok?" I whisper, "If Link wants to tell us what's wrong, he will!"

There's a wave of discouraged, slightly resentful nods, but eventually, my friends all agree with me. They all get their heads down, focusing on their homework or reading for a few moments. I power through all my Geography questions. The ink pours onto the page as I explain the difference between constructive and destructive plate margins. I explain what types of rock formations can be found at each plate boundary, and I'm close to finishing when the last question stumps me.

_"Explain what happens in the subduction zone of a destructive plate margin, 6 marks."_

I frown. "I've got to go get a book guys," I mumble. "I'll be back in a minute," and with that I clamber up to my feet, making my way through the library towards the reference section. I pass through all the books for Art, Business Studies, Chemistry, Drama, Ethics, and French before I finally reach the Geography section. It takes me a few minutes to rifle through all the course material, finding a decent book that actually tells me what I want. But eventually, I pull out one entitled "Plate Margins". I stand, smiling to myself with satisfaction.

I'm about to turn and leave, to make my way back over to the table where most of my friends are sat, when suddenly I head hushed voices. I stop dead in my tracks, listening more closely to the conversation. Whoever it is that's talking is stood on the other side of the bookshelf sounds worried, and I can hear them through the stacks and stacks of reference books. I swallow hard, taking a step closer to the bookshelf and listening as intently as I can.

"What happened, Link?" comes Zelda's soft but stern voice. "Just tell me who they are and what they did!"

"I told you Zelda," he whispers in reply, "If I tell you, someone will just make a fuss, I know they will!"

"Then let us fuss!" she replies, "We wouldn't fuss without good reason!"

There's low sighing from the other end of the bookshelf. She's wearing him down… I can tell from his sigh. He's close to telling her what exactly is bothering him. I swallow hard as I press myself up more closely against the bookshelf. I push my pointed ear over the top of the leather bound books, trying to get closer so I can hear the conversation more clearly. Should I feel guilty for eavesdropping? I can hear the sound of soft, impatient breathing, and then eventually Link speaks.

"It was Ghirahim and Vaati," he eventually mumbles. "They took… they took my sketchbook."

A silent moment passes between us all as I feel the emotion really sink in. They what? How dare they? That sketchbook means the world to Link; he guards that thing with his life! He's barely even shown any of it to us, and we're his best friends! I don't even think he's shown much of it to Zelda. I feel my stomach begin to churn as I storm around the bookshelf, my fists clenched.

"They what!?" I call out as I appear at the end of the shelf. Link and Zelda both turn to me, their faces show startled expressions.

"This is your last warning, Dark!" the librarian hisses.

I give her a swift nod, turning back to Link and taking a few steps closer to him and Zelda.

"They took your sketchpad?" I parrot.

He nods slowly, looking down, as if embarrassed. "They did… look, it's not as big of a deal as it sounds," he whispers.

"Yeah, it's a big deal!" I reply, emphasising my words. "They stole that from you, and we both know exactly how much that sketchpad means to you, Link!"

"I'm with Dark," Zelda murmurs, "you need to confront Ghirahim and Vaati and get it back!"

"No!" Link hisses, shaking his head hurriedly. "It will only cause a fight!"

"Fine then," I scoff, "if you won't, I will!"

"Dark… wait, Dark!" he shouts as I storm off through the library. I'm making a bee-line for the door, strutting with a purposeful walk along my path. Link tries to follow along behind me, but he and Zelda are quickly intercepted by the librarian who sets to work giving them the long speech about the library rules. I storm over the door, shoving it open and letting it slam behind me. I'm sick to death of Ghirahim, Vaati, Groose and Ganondorf strolling around this school like they own the place. They terrorise everyone, preying on the weak and singling out anyone who they can easily pick on. They bully kids who are creative and honest about who they are. Being different is clearly a punishable crime in their eyes, and I've had enough of it.

As I turn the corner in these crowded corridors, I see the Ghirahim and Vaati. They're stood up against the lockers, talking and laughing whilst playing loud annoying music on Vaati's phone. The low dubstep beat drums in my mind as I storm closer, the adrenaline pumps through me, powered even more by my anger. I don't want to spend my whole life hiding away from these bullies, and I'm sick of the reign of terror they've inflicted over this school.

"Hey you!" I yell, marching up to Ghirahim and jabbing one finger into his chest.

He holds his hands up, palms facing outwards as he raises his eyebrows. "Wow, what's your problem shadow-boy?"

I ignore his nickname for me, moving on to my point. "My problem is that you and your Neanderthal friends think you can shove me, my friends, and everyone else around!"

Vaati smirks, raising one eyebrow as he pushes past Ghirahim so he can stand right in front of me. I try my best not to focus on the height difference between us, all of Groose and his cronies are in the year above us after all… I hear a door open loudly behind me, and I can hear the voices of all my friends as they spill out into the corridor, watching the scene unravel. At least I know that I have back up now if things go wrong.

Vaati laughs, and says: "I'm not sure I like your attitude squirt. What exactly are you referring to?"

I set my jaw firm as I square up to Vaati. "What I'm referring to is the sketchbook that you stole from Link!"

I watch as the gruesome look of pleasured pride spreads over Ghirahim's face. His lips twist into a cruel grimace as he opens up his bag, pulling out the sketchpad and waving it in the air in front of me. I make a swipe for it, trying to steal it back from him, but he pulls his hand away.

"Is this the sketch pad you mean?" he asks, playing dumb.

"Give it back!" I growl, taking another attempt at stealing it, but he just passes it to his companion.

"It's all very touching," Vaati says, tauntingly flipping the pages, "that you and your pathetic little friends would try and stand up to us. But I'll save you the effort. You're wasting your time shadow boy!"

"Why do you keep calling me shadow boy?" I ask, feeling my voice gravelling as I speak.

"Because that's all you are," Ghirahim smirks, leaning over me in an intimidating manor. I feel the frown set over my brow as he speaks again. "Did you know where the original shadow came from? He was a copy of the Hero of Time, created so that the hero could be pure and good. All he was, was every rude, crude, selfish though that the hero could have ever had… he was designed so that someone else could always be better than him."

I turn, casting my gaze up to meet his as I clench my fists. "Don't you dare…" I growl.

"Don't what?" Ghirahim says, his face looming ever closer. "I'm just telling the truth. You're nothing but a shadow, Dark. A copy, a mirror reflection… your kind is pathetic."

"Enough with the racism!" Saria says, stepping forward. Her usually kind eyes are dark with anger and irritation. "Just give Link his sketchbook back." She spits, her words dripping with venom.

"Not a chance," Vaati smirks. We all watch in silence as he pulls the sketch pad open. He rips the first few pages from the book, a sketch of a city scape, one of the mortal goddess, and one of Sheik. I can feel my heart beginning to thump harder because I know what he's about to do. There's a part of me that's tempted to just rugby tackle him to the ground right now… but I know I'd only get into trouble for that. Instead, I'm forced to watch in silence as he rips all those beautiful sketches to pieces. He then walks over to Link, pouring the shreds of torn paper over him like confetti. Link's face is resilient, hard as rock as he tries not to show how hurt he is, but his eyes are crying out for help. I can't take this anymore…

I turn away, my fists still clenched hard as I shove the door open to the playground. The air is much cooler out here, and it's a nice sensation on my skin, but it's not enough to quell my anger. I knew the Ghirahim and Vaati were nasty pieces of work. I knew that they like stirring trouble, and picking on kids. But I never thought they'd be racists too. I'm sick of it. I'm sick of just being a shadow. It's not fair… just because he's a fancy sword spirit doesn't make him any better than me. While it's true the original shadow being was a copy of the Hero, everyone since him has had their own identities… I'm not just a copy. I refuse to accept that.

By now I've travelled right across the playground to where the dance block stands. I glance back over my shoulder, looking at the doors of the library on the opposite side of the playground. My friends are stood outside, looking around the area. They're searching for me… but I simply turn away, I'd really rather be alone right now. So I start walking again. I walk all along the side of the dance block, thumping my fist into the wall with every step. I need to just vent my frustration so I don't end up punching someone.

Eventually, I run out of wall to thump. I've reached the very back of the dance block, and I find myself stood in a small enclosed area. From here you can see the back of the dance block, though there are no windows on this wall. There's a side path around to the schools dumpsters leading off to the left, but the only people that ever go down there are the ones sneaking out of school for a cigarette. Two or three cars sit in the almost empty car park that backs onto this area, but other than that; it's completely abandoned here.

I sigh as I lean up against the stone wall of the dance block. I find myself sliding down the brickwork until I sit on the cold, damp floor, head in hands. This wasn't what I wanted, not at all. My mind is swelling with emotions of anger and frustration and honestly… I'm a little hurt. I don't know why I'm letting Ghirahim's racist comments get to me, I should know better than to listen to that creep. Yet despite all this, I can feel my own thoughts eating away inside of me. What if he's right? What if that's all I really am?

"Dark?"

I lift my head from my hands as I snap my gaze upwards. My thoughts are cut short by the soft, female voice. As I take in the source, I find myself smiling a little. There she stands, looking so gorgeous in her school uniform. Her green pixie cute hangs over her face as she looks down on me, her big eyes are filled with worry and concern. Saria… I want to say something, to tell her that I'm ok, but I seem to be losing my own words. So I just sit in silence as she carefully walks around me, coming to a stop on my other side.

She stoops down, tucking her skirt under her legs as she sits down next to me in silence. Neither of us says a word, I don't think she really knows what she wants to say. I try to come up with something funny or witty, but my mind just keeps drawing blanks, so I decide to do something else. I rummage through the pockets over my blazer. My fingertips touch a pen, a calculator, and loose rubber band, before I finally find what I'm looking for.

"Want one?" I ask, producing the packet of chewing gum and offering it to her.

She smiles gratefully, taking one and popping it into her mouth. I do the same before pocketing the small packet. And just like that I can feel the tension melting away as the minty taste explodes in my mouth. Saria turns to me, resting one warm hand on my shoulder as she gives me a hopeful smile.

"Don't listen to him, Dark," she says, "You're more than just a shadow, and you know that!"

"Maybe," I sigh, leaning my throwing my head up, and allowing the crown of my hairline to press up against the wall behind me.

"I'm being serious!" she continues, "You're better than Ghirahim could ever hope to be!"

A small laugh shakes my chest as I turn to look at her. "Oh yeah? And how did you figure that one out?"

She smiles. "It's very simple. You stood up for Link! You did what was right; even though you knew Ghirahim and Vaati were going to give you hassle for it." She pauses for a moment as the school bell peels through the air, signalling the end of lunch time. I look up, going to stand up from where I sit, but Saria puts one gentle hand on my shoulder, encouraging me to stay.

"You know you're the good guy here, don't you Dark?" she says.

I look down a little. "I guess…"

"Exactly," she says, "And hey, there were evil sword spirits during the legends too! Next time Ghirahim gives you hassle, remind him of that!" She says, squeezing my shoulder comfortingly as I laugh. I can feel my mind brightening a little as I mull it over. She's right; Ghirahim shouldn't have a hold over me for something someone else did thousands of years ago. She gives me an encouraging wink and the two of clamber up to our feet, dusting off our now slightly dirtied clothes.

"Thanks Saria," I say, still smiling, "for everything."

"No problem," she replies, "now come here!"

And with that she reaches up, wrapping her arms around my neck and pulling me in for a tight hug. I hold her in my arms too. I find my mind spinning, almost intoxicated by her beautiful scent… I wonder what it is? My mind is still busily whirring away as we pull apart slightly. Her lips are parted the smallest amount as her green eyes flicker up and down like she's considering something. There's a small moment of content silence between us, and I swear I'm about to kiss her…

"DARK!"

We spring apart suddenly, both of us spinning around to find who just yelled my name. Sheik is gripping on to the corner of the art block. His figure stoops dramatically as he gulps for air. I can see a small layer of perspiration already forming on his forehead as he looks up at us two. His hair falls in clumps around his eyes and he looks exhausted, like he just ran all the way here. Suddenly he falls still, realising what just happened.

"Am I interrupting something?" he asks, still out of breath.

"What did you want, Sheik?" I ask, choosing not to answer his question.

"I'm sorry…" he mumbles between pants for breath, "but Link's in trouble!"


	16. The Problem with Bullies

**Gaah my computer screen isn't working! Ugh, this is the second time this has happened! I hate to say it… but I may have to send it off to get repaired :( Why do the computer Gods and Goddesses do this to me?!**

**Anyway, you know what time it is... time to thank my absolutely flawless reviewers! That's TheMysteriousDude, sslamajama97, zeldahope9, burning book, TheBlueAlienRobotZombie, CreCra, GameCivilization, ShadowNinja1011, PrincesscharmingKnight, prettyguardianofhyrule, Hanyoualchemist1, AiDaBeast, Bleachshowlover1, InLoveWithLink, Franne, The Drone, and 'Guest!'**

**Thank you to Princess Zelda-figure skater for beta reading!**

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_**Sheik's POV:**_

_"Am I interrupting something?" I ask, still out of breath._

_"What did you want, Sheik?" he asks, choosing not to answer my question._

_"I'm sorry…" I mumble between pants for breath, "but Link's in trouble!"_

I watch as the expression on his face changes from one of frustration and slight annoyance to obvious, blatant worry. He pulls away from Saria, looking a little uncomfortable where he sits as he steadily stares at me. His pitch black pupils are filled with concern and apprehension. I can see a thousand thoughts running through him as he stumbles to try and figure out exactly what I mean. His lips are parted slightly as he begins breathing more deeply.

"What kind of trouble?" he asks, tilting his head forward a little.

"There's no time to explain," I pant, "just come with me!

I reach out, and grab him by the sleeve of his school blazer. It takes me a few moments to pull him up off his feet whilst he's in his current dazed state. He quickly shakes his head, pulling himself out of it as he springs into action. His legs suddenly burst into movement as he runs around the dance block. Saria gives me a confused, concerned frown, but I don't have the time to explain everything to her. This is a DEFCON 1 situation.

Dark and I race all along the side of the dance block, breaking out into the main area of the playground. Grey clouds are now shadowing the almost deserted playground. Everyone has already gone back to their lessons. They picked the perfect time to do it… the crafty foxes. My feet thud against the concrete of the playground as we both sprint across its distance, heading in the direction of the library.

"Where exactly are we going?" Dark asks, a little out of breath.

"Behind the music block," I reply as we sharply turn the corner.

"What?" Dark exclaims, "No one ever goes there!"

"Exactly!" I reply, "That's why they picked it!"

Dark comes to an abrupt stop, reaching out and gripping onto my sleeve with his cold fingers. He forces me to grind to a halt as he turns me to face him, giving me his most serious look.

"Will you tell me what the heck is happening?" he asks.

I sigh, breaking out into a run again, dragging him along with me. "There's no time to stop!" I say, "I'll explain it on the way. It all began after you left…"

_"Don't even think about it, Link," Zelda said, softly taking her boyfriend's hand in hers. She gave him a comforting smile, but he was too far gone, downcast. Tiny pieces of paper were lying around his feet like confetti; some even resting on his shoulders. I tried to summon up the words in my mind to make it all ok, but I couldn't seem to figure out the right ones. I've never really been that good at English…_

_"We'll get you a new sketchbook, ok?" Midna said._

_He nodded solemnly, but I knew that it wouldn't cheer him up. It wasn't the fact that it was a sketchbook; it was more what was inside of it. He spent ages working on those sketches, poured his very essence onto every single page in ink, graphite and shadow pencil. Buying him a new sketchbook wouldn't bring back the beautiful artwork that lay in torn shreds around his feet, and it won't stop Ghirahim, Vaati, Groose and Ganondorf from picking on him._

_"I'm sorry," Saria said, "I hate to seem like I don't care… but I've got to go and see if Dark's ok. I'll be back, alright?"_

_We all gave her nods or encouraging words. She turned away, walking down the hallway one way, as we all headed off down the other. It made no sense to stay there standing around in the pile of torn paper. It would just be torturing Link if we did. We began to slowly traipse down the back corridor towards the exit of the building. If only I'd known back then what we were just about to stumble upon, I would have never opened that door._

_Alas, I couldn't possibly know, so I unknowingly held the wooden door open for my friends, allowing them all to pass out into the cold winter air. The icy chill hit me the moment that I stepped out of the door. It made me huddle down underneath my scarf, hiding from the cold wind. I was so preoccupied with trying to protect myself from the cold weather that I failed to notice what was happening with my friends. They'd all come to a sudden stop, all staring at something…_

"What was it?" Dark asks as we reach the front of the music block.

"Take a look for yourself…" I reply, coming to a gradual stop. My chest is heaving from the run here as I place one gloved hand on Dark's back, pushing him around the red brick walls of the music block. He's nervous, continually glancing over his shoulder to try and see my expression as we near the back of the music block. But I won't tell him, it won't make any sense if I try to explain it… he just needs to see it for himself.

And that's when we push out into the opening behind the music block. It's shrouded from view here, there's no way you can possibly see this location from an angle, unless you're actually stood within it. The music block hides the majority of view, along with the bike shed and a thick layer of greenery all along the back wall. That's exactly why they chose this spot. They knew it was where no teachers would catch them out, and no one would disturb them.

There it stands in the centre of us all. It's tiny, but it's enough to hurt Link. Small sticks and pieces of wood are piled up in the middle of the clearing into a tiny bonfire. And there, buried beneath the pile, I can see the scrunched up balls of paper that used to be some of Link's best artwork. They're being used as kindle to light the bonfire. Groose stands over it all, a small grey lighter in his hands. He clicks it a few times, allowing the miniature flame to spring up near to his thumb before touching it to the first piece of screwed up paper.

Link lets out an angry yell, causing me to turn my attention to him. He's still exactly how he was when I left. He's knelt down on the ground, shins pressed against the damp, muddy earth. Ghirahim and Vaati hold one of his arms each, restraining him from interfering with the little display. I turn to look at the girls. Zelda and Midna have been rounded up into a corner, like cattle, where they're guarded by Ganondorf.

"Hey look," Groose laughs, "Sheik came back to watch the rest of the show! And he brought Dark with him, how cute!"

"What the heck do you think you're doing?" Dark exclaims.

Groose turns back to Ganondorf, giving him a commanding nod. Without even so much as a word exchanging between them, Ganondorf walks up to me and Dark, grabbing each of us with one strong hand.

"Leave them!" Link yells as Ganondorf pulls us over to where Midna and Zelda stand. "This is between you and me Groose, don't drag my friends into this!"

Groose simply lets out a loud laugh in response as he slowly approaches Link. He leans forward so he can look the defenceless boy in the eyes.

"I said it was a bad idea to mess with Groose," he says, "I told you that you'd made the list… you should have listened to my warnings."

Link fights furiously against Ghirahim and Vaati who are still holding him back. I watch from the back corner, unsure of what to do. I can't just let them do this to Link, it's wrong on so many levels. Yet as I survey the area, I can't seem to devise a scheme that'll solve the problem. Any solution that comes to mind is quickly grounded as I remember that Ganondorf would pounce on me as soon as I took a step.

As I'm trying my best to suss out the situation, I feel two warm hands take mine. I look around, a little surprised, but I quickly realise that Midna holds one of my hands, Zelda the other… they're scared. I turn away, looking over to Link. I try my best to read his facial expressions, the fiercely arched brows, the lips curled back, tears glistening on his cheeks. I can't tell if he's angry or upset right now…

"Hey now city boy, there's no need to cry! The best part of the show is still to come," Groose says menacingly as he looks over to his accomplices. "Ganon, get the secret weapon."

"What? What do you mean?" Link spits as he pulls against Ghirahim and Vaati.

We all watch in stunned silence as Ganon walks around the bonfire with caution. He approaches his school bag, unzipping the top and rummaging through the depths. It takes him a few moments, but eventually, he finds what he was looking for. He produces a large; almost see through plastic bottle with a pink cap. The liquid within is a pale lilac colour, and although I can't tell what it is yet, the orange warning sign is clear to see.

"I hope you've been paying attention in Chemistry," Groose says as he accepts the bottle from Ganondorf. "You see, this nail polish remover here contains a chemical known as acetone. If you know anything about chemicals… you'd know that this is extremely flammable."

"Congratulations, you know how to use Wikipedia," Link spits. I can already see a change in him. He's scared, he feels helpless, and so he's reverting back to his rude sarcastic self. He's putting his shields up again… it's exactly how he acted the first time he moved here. He didn't know what to do, he was afraid and he felt like he was alone. He tried to mask his insecurities with insults and comebacks, and that's exactly what he's doing now.

As I watch Groose slowly unscrew the cap with his clumsy thick fingers, I decide that enough is enough. I can't take any more of this. I drop Zelda and Midna's hands, and make a run for it. I manage to push right past Ganondorf, who isn't paying attention enough to stop me. I'm close to Groose, ready to snatch that stupid bottle from his hands and punch him in his pathetic smug face. I've never been a guy who takes bullying lightly. Anyone who picks on my friends, my girlfriend, or my twin sister deserves everything that's coming to them. I make it my own job to teach them a lesson, and that's exactly what I intend to do with Groose.

But as I stand just a few steps away from him, I feel two iron strong hands wrap around my upper arms, wrenching me back away from the bully. I pull against my restraints, but I only find Ganondorf smirking smugly from behind me. I should have known he would have caught up eventually. I press my lips firmly together, growing quickly irritated with the situation. I'm sick of this gang of bullies thinking they own the place.

Now that I'm held back, there's nothing to stop Groose from pouring that pale lilac liquid over the flaming pile of wood and paper. He takes special care to splash it onto Link's hard work, drenching all of the sketches in this liquid. They sit for a few moments, sodden, before igniting with even more power than before. The fire crackles furiously as the kindle burns at an alarming rate, combusting almost instantaneously. I find my own mouth hanging open, leaving me looking a little gormless as I stare at the pile. I'm not the only one watching it, though. Groose stands back, his arms crossed as he watches the bonfire burn away. His expression swells with pride and happiness as he watches the flames climbing up higher, licking the air, desperate to find new material to consume.

Utter silence falls over us all as we watch the events unfold. The air is silent, except for something behind me. I turn, glancing over my left shoulder as I try to find the source of the noise. Sure enough, I see my twin sister stood behind me. Her eyes and closed, her hands pressed together, lips moving slightly as she utters a prayer to the Goddesses.

Some people may say it's the Goddesses answering her prayers; some may call it a miracle, or maybe just a coincidence, but just moments later something amazing happens. The heavens suddenly open with a loud rumbling sound. Clouds begin rolling back across the vast, dark sky as singular raindrops begin to fall. They come slowly, one by one, and then suddenly all at once in one big downpour. The droplets of water fall onto the bonfire, creating low sizzling noises as the flames begin to die out.

Groose, Vaati, Ghirahim and Ganondorf begin looking around themselves in disgust and annoyance. None of them are really sure what to say. The shoulders of Groose's school blazer are already drenched in rainwater, and his pompadour is beginning to wilt a little beneath the weight of the rain. He turns to his friends, waving in an overly large signal to them all, telling them all that they should leave.

"Come on boys," he says, "we've had our fun. Let's leave the losers to clean up."

Almost on command, Vaati and Ghirahim drop their grip on Link, and Ganondorf lets go of me. My body slumps to the ground as I feel the breath escape from my lungs. By now I'm drenched from head to toe. I might as well have dive-bombed into a swimming pool whilst fully dressed. My hair lies plastered to my head, much like a seal, but I really couldn't care less right now.

I watch as Link jumps to his feet. His limbs are clumsy from where he was held back for so long, causing him to stumble and trip as he hurries over to where the bonfire now lies in a smouldering soggy pile. By this point, Groose and his cronies have all but vanished from the area. The only remaining traces of them are the empty, discarded bottle, and the small smoking pile in the centre of the clearing.

"Link, don't!" Dark warns, "There'll still be embers that are hot!"

But Link heeds no warning; he kneels down beside the pile, the tears now streaming down his pale cheeks as he gasps for breath. He reaches out, pushing through the piles of now slightly charred wood as he tries to retrieve what's left of his sketches. I run over, settling down next to him as I try to deter him from making the mistake… but he won't listen. He pulls out burnt sketch after sketch, singing the skin on his fingers as he does. All that's left of most of the pictures now are blackened, indecipherable scribbles.

"They've ruined it," he whispers between sniffles, "all my work… they've ruined it all."

He buries his head in his heads as he leans forward. Loud wails rip from his throat as he buckles his torso, pressing it up against his legs. The result is a drenched, tearful boy sobbing on the dirty ground. His fingers are read raw from the heat of the remaining embers, and tears stain the cuffs of his school shirt. I rest one hand on his back as I try my best to comfort the weeping boy. But the truth of the matter is there's nothing I can do.

I turn to look at my friends, hoping that one of them knows what to do in a situation like this. Yet, they all look as astounded and shell-shocked as I feel. None of them really know what to say or do. So I just sit in silence, gently stroking Link's back as I try to quell his tears. Eventually, after a few minutes of desperate sobbing and heart breaking wails, Link fall silent. Zelda slowly walks over, helping him to pull himself to his feet. Neither of them will say a word, but there's comfortable, knowing silence between them as she gives him a soft kiss on the forehead. She just wants to show she cares…

"You'll be ok, Link," Midna says quietly. "I promise."

"Maybe eventually," he mutters in reply.

Zelda takes his head in her hands again. She stares into his sullen blue eyes for a few moments, before planting another soft kiss on the tip of his nose. Just for a moment, the tiniest hint of a small smile passes over his lips, like a kiss from her can make him forget all his troubles. I find myself smiling too… they really are perfect for each other. Midna carefully takes my hand as Zelda takes Link's and we all walk slowly back around the music block.

It would look really strange if anyone were to see us now. We're five teenagers, all of us are drenched from head to foot. Two of us have mud stains all up the front of our school trousers, and one even has burns on his fingers. I swallow hard, glancing at the tips of Link's fingers again. Small red blisters are already beginning to form on the soft underside. I suck the air in through my teeth as I give him a nod.

"You might want to go get the nurse to bandage those up," I say.

He just shakes his head slowly. "No, I'll be fine."


	17. Hot Chocolate

**Awesome reviewers are AWESOME! Thank you to Mystery, CreCra, sslamajama97, Hanyoualchemist1, TheDrone, HylianKnight, ShadowNinja1011, prettyguardianofhyrule, burning book, Bleachshowlover1, Leina16, TheBlueAlienRobotZombie, TechyZeldaNerd, zeldahope9, Franne, GameCivilization, PrincesscharmingKnight, and Neez!**

**Thank you to Princess Zelda-figure skater for beta reading!**

* * *

_**Link's POV:**_

"I never thought he'd stoop that low," Sheik mutters, his lips barely moving as he speaks. We both sit together on the afternoon bus home from school. The weak metal frame rattles and clanks with every corner we turn and every bump we drive over. It makes my body shake and churns my stomach. My backpack falls continuously against my leg, no matter how much I sit it up straight again. It may be cold and noisy on here, the smell might not be the most appetising… but it's better than being outside in the storm. Raindrops ricochet against the ceiling of the bus as we trundle along the thin country roads. I just want to be home right now… it's been a long week.

I sigh, pressing my fingertips into my forehead. "I don't want to talk about it anymore. Can we please just change the subject?"

It's all I've had all day. I know that what Ghirahim, Vaati, Groose and Ganondorf did was so very wrong, and I completely understand that my friends are concerned about me. They have every right to worry. They know how much my sketchbook means to me. They know how much of my heart and soul I've poured onto each of those pages, which are now burned to a crisp. I'll admit the fact that I am badly cut up about it… but that doesn't mean I want my friends breathing down my neck all the time.

All day I've had the incessant questions. Am I ok? Do I want to talk about it? Is there anything they can do? And the answer to all of those questions is no. I'm not ok with the fact that my most prized possession has been ruined at the hands of the bullies who've been making my life a misery since I moved here. I don't want to talk about it with my friends, because I know if I do that I'll just end up bursting into tears in front of them all. That would just be humiliating. And no, there's nothing that anyone can do to help me now. The damage is done and the die cast.

As a brilliant woman once said: "The Moving Finger writes; and, having writ, moves on." It hurts, all of this. And as much as I want to rip Groose's pathetic pompadour right out of his scalp, I can't. It wouldn't do any good, wouldn't solve any problems. What's done is done, and as much as it hurts me I have to accept that. I can't keep dwelling on the past; it's not good for me. What I really need to do right now is to buy a new sketchbook. That way, I can fill it with new sketches, new paintings, and new pieces of work. It's not the best idea… but it's all I can really do in this situation.

"Ok then," Sheik says, rubbing his hands together, "let's talk about something else."

I give him a weak smile. "What do you have in mind?"

"Dark and Saria," he smirks, "When I ran off to find them… they were almost kissing!"

"What!?" Zelda exclaims. Her head suddenly pops over the top of the seat in front of us. Her plaits swing dangerously as she leans over, looking from one of us to the other. The smile on her face and the glimmer in her blue eyes is almost impossible to ignore as she giggles.

"Yeah," Sheik replies, leaning back in his seat as he tries his best to show off.

Zelda's mouth hangs open as she fixes her gaze onto her almost identical twin brother. She reaches one hand over the seat before poking him with one finger. "Well?" she says, "What happened exactly? I want to hear everything!"

He laughs, "You're so nosy Zel!"

"Yup," she replies, "now spill!"

"Fine then," he says, rolling his eyes, though I can tell he loves it really. "When I ran around the corner they were in this really tight hug. It looked kind of weird! He had his eyes closed and I'm pretty sure he was sniffing her hair?"

"And Saria?" Zelda asks eagerly.

"She loved it!" Sheik replies, crossing his arms and looking particularly proud of himself.

"Aww," Zelda squeals, "I totally knew they liked each other!"

As the twins continue to converse, I find my gaze drifting out of the window. I'm happy for Dark and Saria, I really am. They were obviously going to be a couple. I knew from the first moment that I laid eyes on them that they liked each other. I even thought they were boyfriend and girlfriend. But none of this can properly distract my attention from my art book. I don't know how I'm going to tell my parents what happened if they ask about it… I don't know what I'm supposed to say. 'Oh yeah, by the way, the schools worst bullies took my precious work and used it as kindle to light their bonfire.' That would go down well.

My thoughts have drifted so far away, that I'm only dragged back to reality as I feel the bus grind to a halt. The view outside the window is a particularly miserable one. The thin country dirt track is full of deep brown puddles. The few country cottages have all their curtains and windows closed, and the rain is still lashing down all around us. I sigh as I lean forward, taking a few moments to gather my possessions and stand up in the aisle of the bus.

Slowly, we all make our way down the aisle towards the folding metal doors. The bus driver gives us a warm smile and wishes us all a good weekend as we head down the steps one by one. Sheik and Zelda are stood outside waiting for me because I'm the last to get off, apart from Groose. Sheik stands with the hood of his designer raincoat pulled up over his blond hair. His hands are deep in his pockets and he gives me a warm smile. Zelda, however, stands underneath a pink spotted umbrella.

"Where's your raincoat or umbrella, Link?" Zelda asks with a small frown.

"I don't have one," I shrug, "don't worry; I'll be fine!"

"Nonsense! Share with me," She says, stepping around her brother and closer to me. She allows her pink umbrella to slip over my head. The raindrops immediately stop falling onto my skin, and the sensation is instantaneously replaced with the loud drumming of water pellets on the umbrella. The three of us start off down the path home, talking quietly amongst ourselves about Dark and Saria. We get about ten feet away, when I hear the bus doors hiss shut.

A loud voice calls out to me from behind, causing me to turn around. "Today was fun, city boy," he laughs, "we should do it again sometime!"

Sheik turns back, giving Groose his worst look over his left shoulder. "Run home while you've still got legs!"

Groose's face immediately drops. He runs his tongue all along the back of his upper teeth, hissing at Sheik as he does. He's trying to intimidate him… but it's never going to work. Groose knows that he has to tread carefully with Sheik. If he were to go too far, if he were to seriously upset Zelda, then Sheik would kick his ass all the way to Termina. He's protective over Zelda to say the least, but I guess that's a good thing. I like to think I'd be that way with Aryll if she ever got bullied.

"Come on," Sheik says, clapping me on the back, "let's go home! Zelda can make a mean cup of cocoa that will warm us all right up!"

"You got it!" Zelda says, slipping her hand into mine as we all turn. Our feet splash in the puddles as we make our way along the driest part of the dirt track road. We're talking and laughing about everything that has happened since I arrived here. They're doing a good job of distracting me from today's events. As I listen to Sheik tell a long funny story about how Dark fell over in games, I find myself smiling. I really hit the jackpot when I came here… didn't I?

* * *

"Here you go…" Zelda mumbles. In one hand she holds a large silver pot full of steaming hot chocolate. With the other, she uses a ladle to slowly fill my mug with that delicious, milky, chocolaty drink. I feel a small smile spreading across my face as the warmth of the delicious beverage runs through my fingers. It heats up my hands and that lovely sensation begins spreading right up my arms.

"No problem Link," she replies, setting the pan down to cool on an un-used hob. Sheik and I simultaneously take a sip of the delicious drink. The creamy beverage rolls over my tongue, its chocolaty taste livening my taste buds. Sheik was right; Zelda really can make a mean cup of cocoa! I lay the mug down on the table for just a moment whilst I collect up my school bag. Once I'm all sorted and ready I turn back and give the twins a wide smile.

"Right," I say. "I've got to go and tell my parents I'm home. I'll see you later, ok?"

"Sure!" Zelda replies. She leans over and gives me a quick kiss on the cheek as I pick up my mug. I return the gesture before making my way over towards the stable-style kitchen door. The rubber soles of my school shoes squeak against the wooden flooring of the hallway as I walk towards the door of my parent's room. It's taking me a great deal of attention and focus to try not to spill my drink all over myself.

Eventually, after a very slow and steady walk, I arrive outside my parent's room. It takes me a few moments to carefully negotiate how to get my bag and coat off whilst still holding my mug of hot chocolate. In the end I give up and just decide to temporarily put the drink on the floor. Once my bag and coat lie in a pile at the foot of the door, I pick my drink up again. I raise one fist, ready to knock on the door, when suddenly a thought strikes me.

I don't have a clue how I'm going to tell my parents about my sketchbook… as soon as they figure out they I don't have it they're going to start asking questions. What am I supposed to say? Should I just be honest with them? Do I tell them about everything that happened with Groose and his cronies? It might be quite hard to explain… and besides, what if she makes it worse? What if she goes to the headmaster, or Groose's parents to try and sort it out? Groose would just make my life ten times more difficult!

I shake my head a little, trying to rid myself of that horrible thought. I can't do that… if Groose got into any sort of trouble over this he'd take it out on me. Probably not only that, but on all my friends too! He'd start on Zelda… maybe even Dark, Saria, and Midna too? I know Sheik would stick up for us but I don't want him dragging them into this. That isn't what I wanted to happen… but it'll be fine. I'll just tell mum that I lost the sketchbook, she'll have to accept that, whether she's happy about it or not.

I nod to myself, muttering under my breath as I try to straighten out my story in my mind. I'll just say that I left it somewhere over lunch break and I'm not exactly sure where… That ought to work, right? With one final nod and some uttered words of self-determination, I reach out my hand and grasp the door handle. The bedroom door opens in one swift swing and I find myself stood inside my parent's room.

And that's when I suddenly see it. The room looks almost bare and I can't stomach it. The shelves that are usually lined with books and mum's little trinket collection lie empty. The doors of the closet are lying wide open, revealing the completely open space within. The rails are without hangers… I feel the sickening sensation spread through me as I turn to look at my parents. My dad holds a large roll of bubble wrap in his hands and he appears to be measuring it to fit around a table lamp. I turn to my mother, who's wrapping her trinkets in tissue paper before putting them into a large cardboard box. The word 'Luana' is scrawled on the side in thick black marker pen.

My stomach begins to churn as my mind digests what I'm seeing. This can't be happening… someone tell me that this isn't happening! The palms of my hands quickly grow slick with nervous sweat as I feel my skin begin to heat up. They can't do this… they wouldn't do this to me again, surely? It was their dream to live in the countryside; this is what they've always wanted! They wouldn't give that up… would they? I glance nervously between my mum and my dad, silently praying that one of them will say something positive. My father looks up, chewing his lip as he tries to summon up the words. Eventually he looks over to my mother in desperation. She sighs as she lays one of her trinkets down on the bed, turning to look at me.

"Link… I'm sorry," she mutters.

"Tell me I've got this wrong," I beg, "please…"

"We tried, Link," Dad says. "We really did! But it's too much… we can't make ends meet. It's not fair on the Harkinians to bring up a baby in their home. It's not fair on your mother to put her through the stress of not having an income, and we came to an agreement. It's not fair on you or your sister to have taken you away from your home, which was wrong of us. You were right, Link."

At that moment, it feels like my whole world suddenly stops. They can't be doing this, they can't! That's not fair! Things just started working out for me, I just made it ok! I'll admit I'm having problems with the bullies… but I can't leave! For the first time in my life I've got real friends. They're people I can honestly rely and depend upon. Not only that, but I've met someone who I think I might actually have a chance with. Zelda and I were just starting to click… and now they want to rip the rug out from under my feet… again?

One long, slow breath runs from my throat as I feel the mug of hot chocolate slip from my hands. The world moves in slow motion as it falls down onto the floor. The milky brown liquid slops over the edges, forming a small pool on the laminate wood-style flooring. There's a loud cracking noise as the handle breaks off the mug on impact, but I really couldn't care less right now. I reach up my hands, raking my fingers through my air as I let out a sharp breath.

"How could you do this to me?!" I exclaim.

Dad frowns. "Link," he utters, "I thought you'd be happy? You couldn't wait to leave?"

"That was before," I say, feeling my voice wavering. "I don't want to now… I made it work! You can't do this to me, dad! There has to be another way!"

"I'm sorry you feel that way," he sighs, "but there's nothing we can do, Link. I'm sorry. We're going back to the city."

"NO!" I scream, feeling my voice rip through the air. Tears are beginning to form in the corner of my eyes as I stare at my parents. I feel a little like a child throwing a temper tantrum… but there's nothing else I can do in this situation. My heart pounds in my chest as the injustice of it all finally sinks through my skin. I did all that work for nothing. It was so hard for me to accept that things were changing… but I finally did. And now they want to take everything, my friends, my girlfriend, my new outlook on life… and throw that all away?

Loud snivels run through me as my gaze shifts from parent to parent. They both look guilty, like they're trying to say something but they can't quite verbalise it. I want to say something too; I want to lay out how unfair they're being. I want to tell them how much they're screwing things up for me now, how they're ripping down everything I worked so hard to achieve… but I can't. I feel my knuckles pressing against my skin as I clench my fists.

Letting rip with an angry growl; I lift one leg, driving the heel of my foot into what remains of the mug. Tiny pieces of white clay grind beneath the sole of my school shoes, making a horrible sound as I crunch them into white dust. Mum stares with an open mouth at the remains of mug, and for a moment I swear she's going to reprimand me for it, but she doesn't. Dad places one gentle hand on her arm in a silent bid for mercy. I exhale loudly through my nostrils in reaction, feeling them flare as I do. I want to scream and shout, to stamp my feet and break everything in this room… but I don't. Instead, I turn around, storming away from my parents and slamming my bedroom door behind me. I just needed to get out of there…

I press my back against the wood of the door, feeling its cool sensation relieve my skin. Small sobs shake through my chest as I slide down the white paintwork, pushing my hair back from my face. This wasn't how it was supposed to happen; this wasn't what I wanted at all. The tears that trail down my cheeks feel surprisingly cool, but it can't distract me from the emotions boiling in my blood. I can't do this. I can't say goodbye to my friends, not to Dark, Saria or Midna… not Sheik… and especially not Zelda.

Zelda…


	18. You promised

**Oh my gosh you guys... some of your reviews to the last chapter made me tear up! There was such a mixture of reactions! I had some people who were genuinely ****disappointed, some were angry, some begging me to update. One reviewer even said "I can't believe you typed this." I felt so bad, e****specially sslamajama97... your review made me cry...** I feel so awful, because if you didn't like the last chapter then you'll hate this one... I'M SORRY!

**Anyway, thank you never the less to Mystery, ShadowNinja1011, sslamajama97, Neez, Franne, Alex908Papi, PrincesscharmingKnight, TheBlueAlienRobotZombie, Bleachshowlover1, GameCivilization, CreCra, Hanyoualchemist1, zeldalover272, Joyma, The Drone, Hylian Knight, prettyguardianofhyrule, burning book, and Zelink4eva123!**

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_**Link's POV:**_

"ZELDA!"

I stoop down a little, picking up a handful of water logged gravel from the driveway. I quickly glance over the window and judge my aim, before hurling the gravel in that direction. It ricochets off the glass with a satisfying rattling sound before tumbling back down the slanted roof. I step back as the pebbles fall from the house, plopping back onto the driveway. I shout her name once again, before putting my now slightly dirtied hands back into the pockets of my school blazer.

"ZELDA!" I shout for a third time, my hands cupped around my mouth to help project my voice.

I wait for a few moments in silence, my heart beating like a drum as it knocks against my chest. I rake one trembling hand through my hair, pushing it back from my face as I try to rationalise myself. I need Zelda… I need to talk to her. She has to understand what's going on. She means the world to me… she needs to know the truth, because I can't just leave her behind. I can't do that, and my parents don't seem to understand.

Eventually, the bedroom window is pushed open and Zelda pokes her head out. Her long blonde hair falls down from her face as she looks down at me, a tight frown knitted on her brow. She's changed out of her school uniform already and is dressed in a thin, pink V-neck sweater with a little blue striped collar beneath. One of her hands grips the handle on the window, and the other rests on the windowsill as she talks to me.

"Link?" she calls out, "What are you doing down there?"

"I need to talk to you Zelda. Please, come down."

She shakes her head quickly. "Link its cold out there! Why don't you come inside?"

"No!" I reply, "I can't, you have to come down!"

"What?" She asks, tilting her head to the side a little. "Why?"

I sigh. "I'll explain once you're down here, now come on!"

She hesitates for a few moments, unsure of what to do, but eventually she nods. She slips back inside the house and shuts the window tight after her. And now it's just me, left stood alone in the damp, waiting for her. The ground is still wet from earlier today, and water still drips from the gutters, but at least it's holding off for now. I drag the toe of my school shoes through one of the puddles set in the driveway, casting ripples all along the water's surface.

I'm battling something within myself. I'm trying my best to figure out a solution, but I can't seem to come up with one that doesn't end with someone getting hurt. I don't know what to do about Zelda… what's going to happen to us if I move back to the city? What will she want for us? Will she want us to break up? Will she dump me right on the spot as soon as I tell her? I think I already know what she'll say, but it's something I could never do…

I think she'll want long distance. It's the kind of relationship that lives over phone calls, E-mails and Skype. She'll want to have to have these long, in-depth conversations until late at night. And I love the thought of doing that for her… but I know it could never work. I've told her before how insecure and paranoid I get. I'd be forever wondering if some other guy is stealing Zelda's heart from me. I'd worry that some schmoozer would charm and wow her with a thousand things I'd never be never be able to do. I know myself too well. I'd let those feelings fester and boil under the surface until I lashed out, doing something passive aggressive like accusing her of cheating.

I can't do that to her. I can't allow myself to hurt her like that. I don't want to string her along with long distance love letters and cute little text messages. Meanwhile, I'd be back in the city ripping my hair out, getting ulcers and having panic attacks over some guy that probably won't even exist. I won't let our relationship suffer like that. More importantly, I won't let her suffer like that. I think I know what I have to do…

Just at the moment, the door to the B&B is pushed open. Zelda stands on the other side, now wearing her coat and scarf. She dons a pair of large navy and pink striped wellington boots and gives me a smile that's a little too bright. She's nervous… and frankly, I am too. I know what I have to do here… but I don't want to. I don't want to see her hurt. I don't want to see her cry. Oh Goddess… she's going to cry, isn't she? I stare at her in silence, feeling the nerves bubbling away as she gives me an apprehensive nod.

"Are you ok?" She asks, "What's the big emergency?"

I stare at her for a few moments, lost on what words to use. I think I'm just trying to take in her beauty while I still can. But eventually, the lingering silence between us becomes awkward. So instead of filling it with babbled nonsense, I take a different approach. I take her by the hand, pulling her out of the doorway and towards me. I then wrap my arms around her, locking the two of us up in a tight hug. Her skin is warm against mine and I can still smell the jasmine and honeysuckle in her hair… I'll never forget that smell.

We pull apart slowly, and I take this time to plant a soft kiss on her cheek. She blushes a little, still smiling.

"What's all this in aid of?" she asks.

I sigh, looking down at my feet as I take her hands. "We need to talk…"

"Oh…" she mumbles, "that doesn't sound good…"

I sigh, running my fingers through my hair again as I try to figure out the best way to say it… in the end I give up. "It's not good… Zelda," I reply. "I don't know how to say this so I'm just going to come out with it. I just heard… I'm moving back to the city."

Her face suddenly falls as her lips part. She looks crestfallen, confused, but she still gives my hand comforting squeeze. "Link," she mumbles, "I'm so sorry…"

"Don't be sorry," I say. "It's not your fault."

She nods understandingly, still holding my hand. As I meet her calm gaze, I suddenly realise that she hasn't clicked. She doesn't understand that this is going to mean problems for us… I swallow hard, already breaking out into a sweat as I try to find a good way to say it.

"If I'm leaving," I mumble, "what does that mean for us?"

She lets out a light, but slightly worried, laugh. "Why does it have to mean anything?" she asks, "We can do long distance, right?"

And just like that my heart sinks like a stone in my chest. It feels like my insides are being twisted into a tight curl… I don't want to have to explain it to her. There's a little voice in the back of my mind that tells me I shouldn't be doing this, but I know it's what's best for her. I know that if I don't try and end it now, keeping it clean… then we'll have a horrible break up a few months from now and I'll lose her for ever.

I gently stroke the pad of my thumb along the smooth back of her hand as I take a deep breath. "I can't do long distance…" I mutter.

"What?" She asks, her lips curling back. She's beginning to guess where I'm going with this, though I don't think she wants to believe it.

"Long distance relationships never work," I gush. "It's two people who love each other, and they make it work perfectly for a couple of months… but sooner or later it always breaks down. Someone cheats, or someone gets paranoid, and it ends nastily…"

She moves her hands upwards from mine, running her soft fingers up my arm. She eventually settles just above the elbow, gripping it in desperation. "It doesn't have to end that way," she says, her voice gravelling as she talks.

"It always does," I reply, feeling the tears already beginning to prick in the corners of my eyes. "And I can't bear the thought of not getting to see you every day… I can't do it, Zelda."

Her tight grip on my arm suddenly drops, like my skin scalds her. Her arms pull away from me, held up either side of her as she leans forward. I can already see glassy tears brimming in her perfectly complex eyes. She takes a few steps back, her breath shaking as she stares at me, unsure of exactly what to say.

"D… don't…" she stammers, "don't say what I think you're going to say…"

"Please don't make this difficult!" I wail, tears now freely rolling down my cheeks. "Zelda, please, you know I love you… what was I supposed to do?"

"Try!" She screams, her hands now shaking. "You were supposed to at least try and make it work! I told you when we were stood by the lake; you can't just run away when something goes wrong!"

"There's nothing else I can do Zelda!" I cry.

And that's when the silence falls over us. It lingers in the air as we both stare at one another. Neither once of us wants to be the first to loose eye contact, it would be like admitting that this is where our story comes to an end. This wasn't how I thought it was going to happen. I hoped she'd understand… I knew she'd be upset but I thought she'd at least be able to see where I'm coming from. But as I watch the tears on her apple pie cheeks… it suddenly hits me. I'm the bad guy here…

"I just…" I whisper, "I didn't want this to end badly. Please… please don't let this end badly," I beg.

"It's a little too late for that…" she whispers, her voice barely audible in the open air.

And that's it. I can feel the book slamming shut in my mind as I watch her shake her head slowly. I imagine myself taking her in my arms, giving her one last amazing kiss. Something for her to remember me by, so she doesn't just think of me as the first guy to ever break her heart. Yet as I watch her walk past me, wiping her tears away with a white cotton handkerchief, I realise that I'm too much of a coward to even try.

* * *

It's been an hour, and hour that I've been sat in here. I dare not leave the barn… I can't bear to go inside. I don't want to see my parents packing my life away into cardboard boxes for the second time. I don't want to go through the long process of clearing out my bedroom. But most of all, and probably the thing I'm dreading the most, is Zelda. I don't want to go inside and have to see her. I can't even look at her after everything I did.

I screwed it all up. I handled it totally wrong. I knew I had to break up with her, I couldn't possibly string her along, but there were better ways I could have gone about it. I should have been more gentle, less selfish. I was too busy focusing on me, how hard it was on me, that I forgot that she made up half of our relationship too. I wouldn't be surprised if she never wants to lay eyes on me again after the way I treated her.

After I watched her walk away, I came down to the barn. I couldn't talk to Zelda like I normally would, and there was no way that I was going anywhere remotely near to my parents after everything today. I did, for a brief moment, consider going to find Sheik and talking it through with him, until I remembered that Sheik was probably the worst person to be around right now. All I could think of was that conversation we had in this very barn a few weeks ago.

_"If you ever," he said, "and I mean ever hurt her, if she ever cries over you, I'm going to make you regret even laying eyes on her. Have you got me?"_

_I nodded silently, unable to conjure words for the burning pierce of his gaze._

And now I feel like the world's biggest jerk. Heck, the Goddesses know that I am the world's biggest jerk. And now, there's nothing I can do to change those actions that I regret so much. If I could go back in time and take back everything that I just did, then I would. I'd give any price just to be able to change the way I handled things, but I can't. And now I just have to live with the consequences of my actions. If you think about it that way, it's almost lucky that I'm leaving; it means I won't have to see Zelda every day, and be constantly reminded on everything I lost out on.

"Don't be so hard on yourself," comes a deep soft voice from behind me. I frown, turning away from Epona, whom I've been stroking. As I glance over my shoulder, my eyes fall on someone that I haven't seen in an awfully long time. He stands, leaning up against the wall of the barn. He's dressed in a long sleeved black t-shirt, with a shorter sleeved yellow shirt over the top. He wears loose fitting denim jeans and black trainers. His blond hair is longer than the last time I saw it, and he wears it parted in the middle, allowing the bangs to fall around his face. He greets me with a gentle, warm smile, and I feel the very breath catch in my throat.

"Shade…" I mutter.

He smiles again, pushing himself up and away from the wall. "Hey Link," he says. "It's been a long time!"

"Too long," I reply, watching as he walks over towards me.

He eventually comes to a stop on the other side of Epona. He kneels down onto one knee, gently running his hands through Epona's long golden mane. His blue eyes watch her, allowing me to take this time to study him more carefully. He's aged well, he's grown more muscular than I have, and I think he may even be a little bit taller. His hands are lean and large, but the way he handles Epona is gentle and timid… eventually, his gaze meets mine.

"I think you know why I'm here, Link," he says.

I sigh "Because I'm not the Link that you were friends with, I've turned bad, Shade," I mutter. "I did a horrible thing. I let my insecurities and selfishness get in the way of something so perfect… and now I've lost a beautiful girl because of it."

He laughs knowingly as he moves his hand back from Epona; he uses it to clasp the other, allowing them to rest in his lap. "Haven't you got it yet, Link? No one's all good or all bad," he says, "the world isn't black and white!"

I sigh again. "Maybe, but that doesn't change the fact that I hurt Zelda."

He looks down a little, before getting to his feet. He moves around Epona, travelling with proud, elegant steps. He walks with such an unspoken, subtle sense of confidence that I'm awed into silence at the very sight of him. Eventually, he stops next to me, sitting himself down on the straw directly to my left. He rests one of his large hands on my shoulder, giving me a crooked smile as he talks.

"I won't deny the fact that what you did was wrong, Link," he says, "but you're forgetting that Zelda, and you are both still young. You've got plenty of time to grow together."

I frown. "How do you expect us to grow together when I'm moving away! She's not going to want to know me after the way I treated her!"

"Everything will work out ok in the end, Link," he says reassuringly, "you know that."

"You don't know that it will," I reply. "I can't know that!"

"But you do," he says, smiling. "Because you're forgetting that I'm nothing but a figment of your imagination…" I watch him with an open mouth as he climbs to his feet, looking at me with a silent intelligence in his eyes. "I'm an imaginary friend that a lonely little boy created. He had no friends of his own, so he made me. He was the best little boy I ever knew, but over time, I watched that little boy grow up. He forgot about me, and he lost his path along the way… he became angry at the world, and he hated what was happening to him, and what he did to other people."

"I do," I say. "And now I feel like I'm stuck. What do I do, Shade? Tell me what I should do!"

"That's not where you are now," he laughs. "That's where you were about two or three months ago. Then this beautiful girl called Zelda came into the picture… and she put you back on the right track for me. That little boy, he made friends, he began to care for his family, and for the first time ever, he fell in love."

"Shade…" I whisper, "you're not helping, give me answers, please!"

"I don't have all the answers," he sighs. "But just start with Zelda. You know that she made you happy; you know she was the one who brought back the real Link. Don't let her go, ok?"

"Don't you think it's a bit too late for that?" I exclaim.

He simply lets out a light laugh in reply. "Link," he says, "it's never too late…"

I sigh as I glance down momentarily, considering my options. I look up again, but Shade his vanished without a trace, leaving me staring at an empty space in the barn. I glance around me in desperation; mentally pleading that Shade will reappear, because I need his help! He was making sense, everything he said was true… but how the heck am I meant to stop myself from losing Zelda? She's already gone! It's already too late for me to turn back! I desperately search around me, but I realise that I'm alone now… it's just me and Epona.

But suddenly I'm pulled from my own thoughts by something that curdles my very blood. A shout slices through the cold winters night like the sharp blade of a sword, and sends deep shivers along my spine. I've been dreading this, praying to the Goddesses that it wouldn't happen… though deep down I always knew that it would. His voice rings through the empty night, bouncing off the walls of the house and echoing through the following silence. I swallow hard… muttering silent prayers.

"LINK!"

I dart my head to the side, suddenly assertive. Epona looks around her in confusion, clearly slightly spooked by the sudden outburst. I'm keen to know where he is, and judging by the direction of his yell, I'd guess that he's just outside the house… I'm just trying to figure out what I can do and where I can go when I suddenly hear another sound. The door to the house opens and closes again, and Zelda's soft voice follows.

"Sheik, please calm down…" she says. Her voice is timid and wary, almost as though she's afraid of his reaction.

"COME OUT OF HIDING YOU COWARD!" he screams, "FACE ME!"

I screw my eyes shut, pressing my face into the warmth of Epona's mane. The familiar scent of straw and leather fills my nostrils as I bury my face deeper into her comforting mane. It's a strange juxtaposition to smell something so seemingly peaceful, but to be simultaneously hearing a war raging just beyond these wood-panelled walls. Please don't let this be happening, please… I'd give anything…

"Sheik, just stop and think about what you're doing!" Zelda pleads, "He's your friend!"

"No…" Sheik spits. His voice wavers as he struggles to stop himself from shouting. "He is not my friend; friends don't do this to each other. Friends don't go back on their own word."

"Sheik!" she begs, "you promised me that if I told you, you wouldn't get mad! You promised!"

I can already hear the sound of his footsteps thundering closer to the barn. His loud breathing travels around the walls as he storms towards the doorway. My heart beats so hard inside of my chest that I swear even he must be able to hear it. What am I supposed to do? Should I go out there? Should I try and talk some sense into him? Or am I supposed to just sit here and await the inevitable hell that Sheik will force onto me… I opt for neither, instead getting to my feet and running over towards the doorway. I come to a halt in front of the wall just to the left of the door, pressing myself up against it in the hopes that Sheik won't see me when he enters.

"Yeah," he growls. "I promised, but so did he."

"What are you talking about?" she asks. I can tell from her voice that she's close to tears.

"He promised me that he wouldn't hurt you!" Sheik yells. "He gave me his word!"

And that's when I suddenly remember the other half of the conversation that I had with him in this barn just a few weeks back…

_"I'm being serious, Link," he growled. "If you break her heart, I'll break your bones. If she even sheds a tear I'll be shedding your skin. You got that? You have to promise me you won't hurt her."_

_I swallowed hard, nodding again. "I promise."_

I screw my eyes shut as I look down, cursing under my breath. How could I possibly be so stupid and naive? Why did I not take into account that something like this might happen? I should've known better than to promise something like that to Sheik. My brain begins going into overdrive, remembering all those stories Zelda and Sheik have told me from when they were younger. The ones about Groose keep running through my mind, like black and white flashbacks. How Groose picked on Zelda no less than a year ago… and ended up getting his ass kicked by Sheik… and from the impression I got, that happened more than once.

"Sheik, please just be rational about this!" Zelda begs.

"WHY SHOULD I?" He yells, "I care about you Zelda, and it's clear to me now that he doesn't! It doesn't matter how much you defend him, it won't change the fact that you've spent the last hour bawling your eyes out over that arrogant asshole! Someone needs to teach him a lesson."

"No!" She cries, "He made a mistake, Sheik, that doesn't give you the right to condemn him for it!"

The air around me falls silent, and for just a second it almost seems like it's over. I look up a little, the hope rising in my heart. But eventually, Sheik responds. His voice is lower this time, and he speaks with a darker, more serious tongue. "I made a mistake too," he spits, "I trusted that bastard with something so precious to me… you."

I can't take it anymore. I can't sit here listening to them debating whether or not Sheik is allowed to beat me to a bloody pulp on the ground. I don't want to wait here; feeling like a criminal before an execution. The beat of my heart sounds like a ticking clock as the blood drums in my own ears… and I'm sicking of hearing each second pass whilst I wait in anxious silence. I need to do something; I can't just sit back and let this happen.

I sigh, running my hands through my hair as I mull over the last of my thoughts. Eventually, I come to my final decision. I push myself away from the wall and slowly turn, approaching the door. The very tips of my fingers tingle with nervousness. What if this all goes horribly wrong? What if I had been better just staying in my hiding place? I guess it's too late for that now. My grip on the door handle of the barn door is already set. I close my eyes, saying one last silent prayer, before ripping the door open.

As soon as the door swings open, Sheik whips his gaze around. His fiery red eyes fall on me in the contrastingly cool white moonlight. It makes his skin look paler, shadowing his facial features. His shoulders heave with every heavy breath that runs through his body, already showing me just how angry he is. His fists are clenched in fury, and his nostrils are flared for the exact same reason. I swallow hard, daring to meet his gaze.

"Will you at least hear me out?" I ask, my voice sounding a little feeble in such a vast, dark night.

Zelda glances nervously between us, her gaze constantly shifting from Sheik to me, me to Sheik. She's just as hopeful as I am… I let my gaze slip to her for a few moments, suddenly feeling a pang of guilt in my stomach as I remember that me hurting her was the cause for all his mess. Sheik said about how she'd cried for an hour… that was because of me. I swallow hard, trying to rid myself of that horrible thought.

I turn my attention back to Sheik, only to find that he doesn't dignify my question with a straight out answer. He simply reaches up one powerful hand, using it to grip the collar of my school shirt. I can feel his iron first clenching as he channels all his strength, using it to force me up against the wall of the barn. As my back knocks into the wooden panelling, his fists thrusts deeper into my throat, leaving me winded. I'm shocked, astounded by Sheik's sudden change of heart. Just earlier today the three of us were walking home together from school. We were talking and laughing like nothing had ever happened… yet now is almost the opposite.

"Have you got anything to say for yourself?" He asks. He's barely annunciating his words because his teeth are gritted in anger. I want to say something, to apologise to Zelda and to him for everything I put them through… but I can't. His fist is still pushing into my throat, leaving me struggling to even find the air to breathe, let alone talk. Still, Sheik is waiting. He watches me with that laser stare, burning through my skin with simply one glance.

"Sheik, stop it!" Zelda begs, "You're choking him!"

But his grip still continues to tighten. He doesn't even care how much it's hurting me… I can't say I blame him. I open and close my mouth helplessly like a goldfish, gasping for enough air just to take in a decent breath… but I'm failing miserably. I can feel the pressure increasing behind my eyes as my brain begins feeling the effects of the lack of oxygen. And just as I think I've had about all I can take, Sheik's grip finally loosens.

My body falls down to the ground with a loud thump as I gasp for breath. A comforting coolness spreads over my skin as oxygen returns to my body. My muscles suddenly flood with life, leaving me feeling able to move much more freely. I breathe a sigh of relief, climbing to my feet and standing eye to eye, level with Sheik. His fiery eyes meet my gaze again, and for a second it looks like he's almost about to forgive me… but he doesn't.

Instead, he slings his arm backward, readying himself to launch another attack on me. He drives his fist forward through the air, and I realise he's about to try and punch my lights out. I suddenly jump into action, ducking out of the way and taking his punch into the palm of my hand, cushioning the blow. It takes him a few moments, but eventually he straightens himself up again, giving me a cold look. Zelda swallows hard, unsure of what to say.

"Only cowards dodge punches," he spits.

"I'm not a coward," I reply. "I just don't want to fight with one of my best friends."

A look of pure hatred and resentment spreads over his face as he gives me an overpowering stare. "We're not friends, Link," he growls, "we stopped being friends the moment you decided to screw over my sister."

I sigh, feeling my own heart sinking at his choice of words. "Sheik," I whisper, "I never meant for anyone to get hurt…"

"But they still did!" he says; his voice suddenly much louder. He gesticulates wildly to express his annoyance as he steps closer. "And that's your fault!" he reminds me.

"I know!" I reply, almost in tears. "I know I screwed up, big time! But there's nothing I can do to put this right, Sheik!"

"Oh yeah?" he retaliates, "try this!"

And within an instant, he's swung yet another punch. I can see this one coming, but I don't have enough time to dodge it. It's horrifying to see the angry expression on his face as his iron fist flies straight for me. And that's it… he drives his knuckles into my nose, causing a collection of crunching noises beneath my skin. I let out a low yell, crying out in pain. It's already aching, and the pain just spreads through my face. It's almost as though my nose is throbbing… Zelda stares at her brother in disbelief and shock. My hands shoot up, cradling my aching nose as I double over in pain. My eyes are screwed shut to the rest of the world, the only thing I can feel right now is the pain spreading through my skin…

"For the love of Nayru, Sheik!" I exclaim. "I think you've broken my nose!"

"I'm sorry!" he rages. "Were you expecting a hug?" The sarcasm practically drips off his tongue.

"SHEIK!" Zelda exclaims as she takes step closer to me. She reaches up one of her gentle hands, carefully drawing mine back so she can examine the damage. It's only as I pull my hands away that I see the blood already staining my palms.

She sighs, chewing her lip. "Yup, it's definitely broken…"

"Don't help him!" Sheik yells, "he had that coming to him!"

"Enough, Sheik!" Zelda says, silencing her angry brother. "Ok Link, just sit down… I'm going to get help…"

She gives my hand another squeeze, before turning and running away through the dark night. I watch her go in silence, unsure of what to say as I slip down to the floor. It's sweet of her to help me… though I know I don't deserve it. Although I don't agree with Sheik for getting so angry, I know he's holding the right view here… I was a complete and utter ass to Zelda. I don't deserve her sympathy, and I definitely don't deserve her help.

"For what it's worth," I say, looking up at Sheik from where I now sit on the ground. "You're right, Sheik. I deserved that…"

"And more," he spits. His hands are now resting in his pockets as he angrily kicks at stones on the floor. His face is still creased with the same annoyance and frustration as it has been since I opened that barn door. I really screwed this kid over… and I feel awful for everything I did to him. I sigh, looking down at my feet as I try not to breathe through my sore nose.

"I'm sorry, Sheik," I whisper.

"Yeah?" he queries, turning to face me. "You'll be even more sorry in a moment."

I frown. "What's that supposed to mean?"

And within two seconds, my question is answered. Not with words, but with one simple action. Sheik growls in frustration, letting his lips curl inwards as he raises one leg. The second I see his foot leave the ground, I know what's coming to me. I don't have the time to move; don't have quick enough reactions to save myself. Within a matter of seconds, his foot is thrown forward, directly into my left shin. He takes special care to drive the heel of his thick biker boots into my skin, pushing until he hears the cracking sound he was hoping for.

A blood curdling yell rips from my throat as I lean forward, pushing his leg away from me. I can already feel the pain radiating from my shin, ten times worse than that from my nose. Agony runs through my leg like lightning bolts splitting a storm ridden sky. Waves of pain wash over me as I rock back against the wooden walls of the barn… Yet he doesn't say anything, just walks away through the night, hands buried deep in his pockets. I want to curse and to scream and call him every dirty name in the book… but I know it won't help me. He simply walks off in silence, leaving me with a bloodied face and broken bones…


	19. The Hero's Shadow

**I have never been someone who can't take constructive criticism. In fact, I welcome it as it helps me to improve as a writer, so this doesn't apply to anyone who gave constructive criticism or friendly reviews. However, that doesn't deter from the fact that some of the feedback from the last chapter was downright rude. This doesn't apply to all reviewers, in fact most were very sweet, and emotional. There were just a few people that were out of line. I write these fanfictions for two reasons, one: I love the Legend of Zelda, and two: to help me improve my writing skills. I don't think I deserved the hate that I received from the last chapter. I love writing these stories, but I'm not prepared to do it if people are going to send me abusive messages and reviews. That's all I have to say on the matter.**

**Thank you to the kind reviewers (none of the above applies to you!) That's CreCra, Mystery, prettyguardianofhyrule, PrincesscharmingKnight, Pitrus, burning book, TheBlueAlienRobotZombie, Guest22, ShadowNinja1011, Rawr I'm A Toaster, sslamajama97, Alex908Papi, zeldalover272, Drewyyy101, Bleachshowlover1, LEva114, LeilaEditer, Hanyoualchemist1, Zelink4eva123, DestinyPrincess289, Neez, Hylian Knight, Joyma, Franne, TechyZeldaNerd, erico637, GameCivilzation, LoveMadness, Guest, and H3R0 0f T1M3 72296!**

**Thank you to Princess Zelda-figure skater for beta reading!**

* * *

_**Dark's POV:**_

"Hello Dark," Miss Impa says, sliding into the empty seat next to me. "How's your coursework going?"

"Great," I reply, rifling through my art folder and pulling out my coursework book. "I've managed to get loads of work done this lesson on my two dimensional representation."

If I'm honest with you, there's only really one reason that I managed to get so much work done today: it's because Link isn't here. Normally, the two of us sit working together. He talks about his work and I talk about mine, we give each other feedback and suggest ways we can make our work better or more individual. It really helps me to produce work that's of a much higher standard, though it does mean that progress is slower…

I'm still not entirely sure why Link isn't here. It must be something serious; Link would never miss an art lesson unless he absolutely had to. I know how much his artwork means to him, and I know he really values the feedback that he gets from Miss Impa and I. So why in Hyrule could he be missing this lesson? And first period on a Monday too! Something bad must have happened, something really bad…

"I like what you've done with this," Miss Impa says, snapping me away from my own thoughts. "I take it that this is the Hero of Time's shadow?"

"Uhh… yeah…" I mumble; feeling a little bit embarrassed.

After Saria's talk with me about how not all shadows are bad any more, I felt inspired to do some shadow themed artwork. This actually worked out really well, because the theme for our art coursework is the old legends. I've seen so many pictures of the hero and his shadow before, but they always depict his shadow as something purely evil. So I decided to go an entirely different route… My piece shows the Hero's shadow, washing himself in a shallow lake. I've drawn the blackness seeping away in the water, clouding like ink. This leaves his skin exposed as its natural colour, showing that even underneath his evil exterior; he still has good within him.

"I'm very impressed," Miss Impa says, smiling as she hands it back to me, "you've shown real depth with this! My only advice to you would be to take extra special care when drawing the water's surface, it can be tricky."

"Thanks Miss!" I smile, folding the book up and slipping it back into my art folder. I watch as she moves from the chair, climbing up to her feet. For a moment I think she's about to leave, but she falters for a few seconds, considering something.

"Have you seen Link today?" She asks, raising one eyebrow.

"Uhh… no," I reply, "I was actually kind of hoping you might be able to tell me where he is. I wondered if there's anything on the registration system."

"I'm afraid not," she sighs. "It's strange; it's not like Link to miss his art lessons… oh well, I'm sure it's nothing to worry about! Good work, Dark!" She says, giving me a bright smile. With that, she turns away, her braid swaying left and right around her shoulders as she walks towards her desk. I sigh, getting back to work on the three dimensional representation that I've been focusing on. This one has to be a symbol of something, so I decided to make a clay model of the Master Sword, to represent the Hero's bravery and courage.

Ten minutes later, I'm working on carving the mark of the Triforce into the lower end of the blade, when suddenly the classroom door is pushed open. I frown, looking up a little as I try to figure out what's going on. That's when Link makes his way through the door, and silence descends over the class. The quite chatter that previously filled the room has fallen to nothing. I was right when I said that something really bad had happened. In fact, I don't think I've ever been so spot on about anything before.

There Link stands, balancing his weight on a pair of crutches. The lower portion of his left leg is wrapped in rock hard plaster, with green plaster bandages strapped around the outermost layer. He wears one of those clumsy, foam hospital sandals over the cast to protect it from the wet ground. Even from here I can see that he's already decorated his cast with tipex pens in a similar fashion to his converses. Images of the Goddess crest, the Triforce and the marks of Din, Farore and Nayru are scrawled over the plaster, and I can't help but roll my eyes at his predictable ways.

I cast my gaze upwards, taking in the rest of his figure. The collar of his school shirt is pulled up tight around his neckline, but even that can't hide the bruises that cover his skin. They run from his collar bone, right up to his jawline. I look up even more, only to find that his cerulean eyes rest on a bed of purple, blue, and black skin that surrounds his left eye and the majority of his nose, which is swollen out of proportion.

He looks down, as if embarrassed or ashamed as the whispered conversations and muffled giggles start to spread through the classroom. Speculations begin and I can already hear accusations being thrown around. Many names are being spoken, but the one that keeps cropping up is Groose. I feel my fists clenching at the very thought of that… if he's gone after Link than so help me Hylia, I am going to make him pay.

Miss Impa takes Link's bags from him, dropping them at the foot of my table before helping him to settle into his chair next to me. He looks uncomfortable, he clearly doesn't like all the attention that he's getting from this, but there's nothing that can be done about that. You can't stop gossip from spreading through the school… Miss Impa gives his shoulder a comforting pat, kneeling down in front of him so that they can talk on the same level.

"What happened to you, Link?" She asks, "you look like you've been in the wars!"

He looks down a little, playing with his hands. "If it's ok with you Miss, I'd really rather not talk about it…"

"No problem Link," she replies, giving him a smile and turning away. We both watch in silence as she settles down at her desk. I wait for a few moments in silence until I'm positive that she's distracted, before I turn back to Link.

"Well?" I ask.

He frowns, "I said I don't want to talk about it…"

"Yeah…" I begin, "with Miss Impa! But this is me! Come on Link, I'm one of your best friends! You can tell me!"

He sighs. "I don't want to talk about it with anyone! Now can we please just change the subject?" he says.

I scoff. "Fine. So… who was it?"

"DARK!" He exclaims.

"What?!" I reply, holding back the chuckles "It's a completely different subject! Before, I was asking you what they did; now I'm asking you who did it!"

He sighs, screwing his eyes shut, which must hurt a lot considering the bruising. "I'm not having this discussion," he mutters through gritted teeth.

"Was it Groose?" I ask.

"No!" Link exclaims, "Now just let it go!"

"Vaati?"

"No!"

"Ganondorf?"

"No!"

"Ghirahim?"

"NO! Now pack it in!" He snaps, losing his temper as he bangs his clenched fist into the table. A few startled faces look up from around the classroom, and Link quickly bows his head in embarrassment. I sigh, looking down as I accept my defeat. He clearly does not want to talk about this… I guess I should have got that message sooner. He was pretty clear with it… though I can't help but wonder why he's holding back so much. We've told each other pretty much everything before. He's never been ashamed to admit his troubles with the bullies before… so why is this one so different? I shake my head quickly; trying not to over think it… there has to be something I can say to comfort him instead.

"Don't worry about it," I whisper, "whoever it is, Sheik will kick their ass."

Link lets out a lengthy, deep sigh as he sets to work with his graphite pencils. "I highly doubt that…" he mutters.

I frown, "of course he will! You know what Sheik's like, he'd do anything to defend his friends."

I turn to look at him again, but he's won't look away from the sketch he's doing. He won't meet my gaze… won't even look up or acknowledge anything I just said. I feel my brow furrowing as my mouth falls open, surely not… no… could it have been Sheik? I try to push the thought to the back of my mind, but it keeps resurfacing. Stop it, Dark! That's absolutely ludicrous; Sheik wouldn't do something like that! Besides, what motive would Sheik even have? He and Link are really close; the three of us are basically best friends. Sheik wouldn't just wail on someone for no good reason. He loves his friends; he'd go to any length to protect them! So why won't this thought stop dancing around my mind?

"So…" Link says, desperately trying to change the subject. "What's this I hear about you and Saria?"

I feel my cheeks suddenly begin to flush as I turn to look at Link. Despite his bruised skin, he's smirking as he watches me, waiting for a response. "Well?" he continues.

I roll my eyes, trying to play nonchalant. "What exactly did Sheik tell you?"

"Oh… nothing…" Link says, playing on the fact that he knows I'm hooked like a fish. "He just said that you two were practically kissing?"

"WE WERE NOT!" I shout.

Students on the other side of the classroom turn to look at me. They're trying to figure out why I'm making such a racket. Sometimes I wish kids like that would mind their own business… Mido, Talo, and Colin begin throwing screwed up balls of paper at me from where they sit in the back row of the classroom. I sigh, half-heartedly swatting their projectile weapons away with one hand as I turn back to Link.

"Sheik's just making it sound worse than it actually was!" I say, "We were just hugging!"

"Really?" Link asks, raising one eyebrow. "Let me ask you something, Dark," he says. "How did Saria's hair smell?"

"Nice…" I mumble, confused by his question, "kind of like… apples?"

He doesn't give me a reply, just simply grins a most irritatingly knowing smile, and then looks down at the table.

"What?" I ask, leaning a little closer. "Tell me!"

He chortles to himself, before saying: "Smelling a girl's hair when you hug her is a sign that you like her!"

I roll my eyes. "Yeah right! So what does Zelda smell like then?" I ask.

"Honeysuckle and jasmine…" he mumbles. The tone is his voice is suddenly a little lower, like something's plaguing him. I frown as I peer a little more closely at his features. His eyes are blinking furiously, like he's trying to stop himself from crying. His fingers are pressed hard against the table as he chews the inner side of his lip, unsure of exactly what to say. Confusion washes over me like a sea wave lapping against the beach…

"What's wrong?" I ask, "Are your pain killers wearing off or something?"

And then he whispers five words, the last five words that I'm expecting him to say. His voice is so quiet in comparison to this noisy classroom that I almost don't hear him. In fact, when the realisation hits me of what he said, I have to double check with myself. I never thought that was going to happen… at least, not so soon. This wasn't what I was expecting… not at all. I lean closer still, my heart rate slowing.

"What did you just say?" I ask.

"I broke up with Zelda…" he repeats, his voice a little clearer this time.

I stare at him in silence for a few moments. If I'm being completely honest, I have no idea how to respond. I didn't think this was going to happen anytime soon. Zelda and Link seemed like the perfect couple to me. She adored every little thing about him, and you could just tell that he loved her too… so why on earth would Link break up with her when everything seemed so perfect? Instead of saying all that, I decide to go for a simpler approach.

"Why the heck would you do that?"

He rakes his fingers through his tousled hair, pushing it back from his face. A few moments of silence pass between us, and then he opens his mouth to speak. For a moment I think he's going to reply. Then, before he gets the chance to even say a word, he's interrupted. A shrill, loud ringing noise erupts through the classroom, alerting all its working students. It's the end of period bell. Everyone's hurrying to pack up their possessions and head off for their break, including Link. He scrabbles to put his pencil case and new sketchpad away in his bag, though I still want to talk to him.

"Link, stop," I exclaim, "stop!"

But he won't listen to a word I'm saying. He shrugs his back over his shoulder and then picks up his crutches, hobbling straight towards the door. I let out a disgruntled breath, rushing to pack up my possessions. I need to catch up to him; I need to talk to him! There's something funny going on here, I just know it. Between the break up, his injuries, and the odd behaviour when I mentioned Sheik, I think I know what's happened. It doesn't exactly take a genius to figure it out.

I clamber to my feet, slinging my bag up onto my back. It takes me a few moments to rush across the classroom and grab the door, but I'm quickly out in the corridor none the less. A sea of faces greets me. School children swarm around between the classrooms. Some are laughing, some arguing, and some complaining to their friends. Many sit texting on their mobile phones or listening to music on iPods. Kids stand by their lockers; they linger in small circles with their friends or pass through, laughing away.

My eyes dart left and right, trying to quickly absorb all the information that I can. It's like trying to play Where's Waldo… except this time I'm searching for Link. I scan every face I can see, trying to find any distinguishing feature: his cast, his bruises, his bright blue eyes… but there's nothing. I've lost him among this swarming sea of faces. Who knows which way he could have gone? There's any variety of different paths he could have taken.

I sigh, deciding to take a different approach. I produce my mobile phone from my pocket, opening up a new message and selecting Zelda's contact. I quickly type in a message for her:

_"Meet me in the library, it's urgent. Dark x"_

* * *

"Dark! Hey Dark! Wait up!"

I stand by my locker, its door flung wide open as the final bell of the day rings. Textbooks are stacked up neatly all along the shelves, and the door is covered with pictures of me and my friends. There's me and Sheik trampolining in the summer, me with Zelda and Sheik in the local swimming pool, and me and Saria sat together on the beach. I smile fondly at that photograph… I brought her a pair of red heart shaped sunglasses… she wore them for the whole day! They made her look like she jumped straight out of an eighties sit-com, but she insisted they were cute.

I blink rapidly, suddenly realising that someone was calling for me. I snap my attention away from the photographs, searching around the corridor for the source of the voice. After a few moments of searching, I realise that Saria is slowly jogging towards me. Her green pixie cut bounces around her shoulders as she runs, and there's a hint of urgency in her bright blue eyes. I can't help but worry if something's happened…

"Saria," I say, "what's wrong?"

"Have you seen Link today?" she asks. "He looks like he's been chucked under a bus! What happened to him?"

I sigh, rubbing my temples with the pads of my fingers. This whole affair is rather confusing. Zelda has explained it to me, but she was talking all in a hurry and stumbled on her words quite a bit. It seems like this has been pretty hard on her. Her eyes were all red and puffy, so I'm guessing she's been crying a lot too. Link has barely said a word to anyone all day, and he's been avoiding Sheik like the plaque. I can't say I blame him.

When Zelda first told me what Sheik had done to Link, I couldn't believe it. It seemed completely out of character for him. Sure, Sheik can get a little defensive over Zelda, but I never thought he'd go to the length of beating up one of his best friends. She described everything, told me every detail. She talked about the barn, and the punch, and the strangling… I just couldn't picture it. I never thought Sheik would get so angry.

"It's a long story," I mumble, "have you got time?"

She chews her lip nervously. "I'm supposed to be meeting Mido in a little while. I'm tutoring him for maths… could you make it quick?"

I run my fingers through my fringe, pushing it away from my eyes. "I'll try my best!" I say, closing my locker. I quickly shove the keys into my bag, and then take Saria's arm, walking along the corridor with her.

"It started on Friday night," I begin. "Link got home and found his parents packing up all his stuff. It turns out that they can't afford to fix the house. So Link has to move back to Castle Town…"

"No!" Saria exclaims, "That's not fair! He's our friend, he can't go!"

"I know," I say, "but just hear me out."

She nods, listening intently as I continue to talk. "He went off to find Zelda. They talked it all through, he told her that he couldn't handle a long distance relationship, she told him he couldn't just run away… but they ended up breaking up anyway…"

"No!" Saria whines, cutting me off again. "But they were so cute together!"

"I know," I say. "But the story isn't over!"

"Sorry…" she whispers.

I nod, continuing. "About forty five minutes later, Sheik found Zelda still in tears. He tried to talk to her, to find out what had happened that has made her so upset. She didn't want to tell him, but eventually she had to give in. And of course he, being Sheik, got really really mad. He started cussing and swearing and talking about how he was going to make Link pay for it… and then he stormed out."

"And then what?!" Saria asks, gripping my arm a little tighter, eager to know more.

"And then… well then he went after Link."

She stares at me in silence, her mouth hanging wide open. I can see so much confusion and disbelief in her shimmering blue eyes. I want to tell her that it's all just a story, that Link ended up that way by accident… but I won't lie to her. Instead of this; I reach out, pulling her into a tight hug and stroking her soft green hair. The beautiful smell of sharp apple floods my nostrils and makes me smile… I guess Link was right with what he said about smelling a girl's hair.

"So… all the bruises, the broken leg… that was all because of Sheik?" she stammers.

I nod silently, not saying a word. My heart is thumping so hard inside of my chest that I swear even she must be able to hear it… I wonder if Link and the others have been right all along? Maybe she really has liked me for all this time? Maybe she's been hiding her feelings for me… just in the same way that I've been hiding mine from her? Dark, you're being ridiculous… girls don't go for guys like you, you know that!

"What are you thinking so hard about?" she asks, frowning a little.

"Nothing," I mumble, "just-"

But before I can finish my sentence, before I can even begin to think about what I'm going to say next, she does something that blows my mind. With one swift movement, her hand reaches up, gripping the back of my neck as she closes her eyes. She stands up on her tip toes, reaching up towards me and planting one, simple perfect kiss on my lips. It makes my heart swell deep within my chest as I try to come to turns with what's happening here.

After a few silent moments, she pulls away from me. Her eyes flutter open again and she studies me, trying to figure out my reaction. I know I should be smiling, holding her hand, trying to kiss her again… but it's like I'm paralyzed. My entire body has gone into shock as my mind struggles to fathom the idea that Saria just kissed me! It's like my voice has gotten lost in my throat as I try to summon the right words.

"Dark?" She queries, frowning. "Dark! Say something!"

I've been waiting to do that for so long! I've wanted to kiss you, Saria, for months now. I've never been able to work up the courage to do it; I've never had the guts. You're this amazing, confident, beautiful, smart girl and I'm just a shadow. I never thought a girl like you would ever be into a guy like me. That's why I was so afraid… I just didn't want to get rejected. But this… this moment, that kiss! It's everything that I've wanted for a long time now…

Of course, being the awkward creature that I am, I don't say any of that. I can't seem to find my voice. So instead, I take her delicate body in my arms and plant another kiss on her. I make sure that it's deeper this time, lasts longer, and means more. My mind is rushing, giddy with all the magic of this perfect kiss. It's everything that I always dreamt that it would be and so much more. Fireworks are exploding in the back of mind as I feel us break apart, a smile clear on her gorgeous face.

"Dark, I-" She begins, but before she can finish, she's cut off.

"Hey! I'm so glad I found you!" comes a low voice from behind us. I let out a low, exasperated sigh. Who the heck would be interrupting us right now? Don't they realise that they're ruining a perfectly good moment? As I whip around to see who it is, I find Sheik stood behind me, grinning naively. Of course it would be him…

"For the love of Nayru, Sheik!" I exclaim.

"Oh…" he mumbles, "am I interrupting something?"

"YES!" I shout. "AGAIN!"

"Sorry!" he says, shrugging sheepishly, "but this is important! Come with me, both of you…"

"SHEIK!" I yell.

* * *

**On an entirely different note, a very close friend of mine: Franne, has recently started writing a Zelda fanfiction called City Romance. It's amazing, I'm pretty addicted to it, and I think if you guys like my work then you'll adore it!**


	20. You're stuck with us

**Here we are with the final chapter everyone! For those of you who haven't read any of my works before, I have a little tradition that always comes at the end of the story. I go through everyone who's ever followed, favourited, or reviewed the story and I say thank you to all of them! So that will be happening at the end! Anyway, onwards to the ending! I'll be going back to the previous day with this chapter, that way we can hear Sheik's view of events…**

**Time to thank the reviewers for the last time (apart from at the end!) Thanks to Mystery, sslamajama97, Franne, Zelink4eva123, prettyguardianofhyrule, HylianKnight, DestinyPrincess289, PrincesscharmingKnight, CreCra, Robin08, burning book, GameCivilization,TheBlueAlienRobotZombie, ScootinJackMcCue, Bleachshowlover1, Hanyoualchemist1, ShadowNinja1011, ghosthead8503, Neez, HenryTheWise, 1esor2, atticusfinch42, and lots and lots of Guests!**

**Just a quick note: I don't know if you have this saying elsewhere in the world… but here in England we have something called the 'Elephant in the room'. It basically refers to a topic that everyone wants to talk about, but no one has the guts to mention. It's there, in the room, plain for everyone to see, but no brings it up. Just life an elephant sat in the corner that no one asks about! This metaphor is mentioned later in the chapter, so just be aware!**

**Thank you to Princess Zelda-figure skater for beta reading!**

* * *

_**Sheik's POV:**_

"Violent, irresponsible, childish, petty-"

I sigh, rolling my eyes. "I get the picture, Dad!"

He slams his paperwork down onto the kitchen counter, before pressing his hands against its surface and leaning towards me. If I look really carefully, I can see a tiny vein throbbing against the skin of his forehead. His lips are pushed together in frustration and he gives me an exasperated sigh. I'm not going to lie to you, this is scary. In all my life, of all the things that I've ever gotten into trouble for, I've never seen my dad get as angry about one as this.

"I don't think you do, Sheik!" he shouts, "I've got a list of thirteen other words to describe your behaviour, and not one of them is positive!"

"I get it," I sigh, "can you just spare me the lecture and ground me already?"

"I don't think you understand exactly how serious this is, Sheik. You should count yourself lucky that the Harkinians chose not to press charges against you! You could have gotten into serious trouble for that."

"For what?" I spit, "Defending my sister?"

"YOU HOSPITALIZED ONE OF YOUR FRIENDS!" he shouts. "You assaulted Link! People get arrested for that kind of behaviour! Did that never occur to you?"

I let out an angry grunt, jumping up to my feet. My chair tilts backwards, crashing into the floor with a hollow clanking sound as I face up to my dad. I stand just a few inches shorter than him, and his indigo blue eyes stare me down as I try my best to stand my ground. I can't believe he'd try and blame this all one me. No one's said a damn word to Link about what he did. No one cared that he broke Zelda's heart and left me to pick up the pieces. He got that stupid cast and suddenly everyone felt sorry for him.

"I'm your son, Dad! Couldn't you stand up for me? I didn't act out of line."

"Didn't act out of line!?" he exclaims. "DIDN'T ACT OUT OF LINE!? Sheik! You could have been given a criminal record because of this! Not to mention the small fortune of hospital bills that Link's treatment costs."

I pause for a few moments, frowning. "Excuse me?"

"That's right," he says, crossing his arms. "The treatment for his broken leg, broken nose, and the concussion he suffered amounts to about four thousand rupees. This will all come out of your pay check for your work here at the B&B for the next few years."

"THAT'S NOT FAIR!" I yell.

"It's perfectly fair, Sheik. What you did was completely utterly wrong and it's time you learned the consequences of your actions. I should have known you were too protective over Zelda. I understand that you care about her Sheik, but this is getting ridiculous. I should have done something when you started on that village boy, Groose-"

"He had it coming to him!" I shout.

Dad picks up one of the pieces of paper that he was previously holding, thrusting it towards me. "You're going to see a therapist, Sheik. You need to sort this out. You can't carry on like this."

I stare at the piece of paper in disbelief, my mouth hanging wide open as I scan over the words. It's a letter from the Hyrule anger management association saying that I've been booked in to see a Doctor Renado. Anger management? My own father thinks that I need to see someone about anger management? That's ridiculous! I don't get irrationally angry, I had a good reason! I was just looking after Zelda's best interests.

"I don't need anger management," I spit.

"Yes, Sheik, you do," Dad replies, nodding towards the letter. "You've got ten sessions, make good use of them!"

"I'm not going!" I reply, crossing my arms determinedly.

He raises his eyebrows, crossing his own arms in response. "Oh yes you are, Sheik," he says, "and according to Doctor Renado, your first step is to apologise to Link. I want that done by the end of the day."

"Are you kidding me?" I ask. "I'm not apologising to him until he apologises to me and Zelda!"

"Stop being so childish, Sheik," Dad says, turning away from me. He begins shuffling the papers, organising himself as he sets to work filling in various forms with all my details. I can't believe this… I try talking to him. I tell him how unfair he's being, I list off everything that Link had done that night, I try to justify my actions; but he's having none of it. He just continues filling in the forms, now completely blanking me. In the end, I decide to just give up. It's hopeless; he's never going to change his mind.

* * *

_Thud._

This is completely, utterly, absolutely unfair. How dare he accuse me of having anger management issues? That's out of line. Yeah, maybe sometimes I get mad and lash out at people, but I only ever do it with good reason. He doesn't know what he's talking about. He should have seen the state of Zelda when I found her. She had mascara stains all down her cheeks and her eyes were all puffy from crying for so long. She could barely even talk between her sobs.

_Thud. Thud._

And what do I get for sticking up for my sister? I get nothing, in fact, even less than nothing. I have to waste the next two and a half months' worth of Saturdays going to see a therapist. That's a joke. I don't need a therapist. I know how these things work! I'll sit there for an hour while some guy with a PhD tries to get me to open up about my feelings. I don't need therapy. All I need is a dad who actually believes me when I say that I did nothing wrong.

_Thud. Thud. Thud._

Ok, well maybe not nothing. Maybe I'm willing to admit that yeah, I did break Link's nose… and his shin. But that doesn't mean I wasn't justified in my actions. I didn't just attack him like some violent sociopath, I had a good reason! He provoked me! This is really all on him. I had warned him that if he broke her heart then I would be breaking his bones. The signs were all there. So why isn't he getting any of the blame?

_Thud. Thud. Thud. Thud._

I sit on my bedroom floor, my back pressed up against the foot of my bed. My body is angled towards the stretch of white wash wall that runs from my window to my door. In my hands, I hold a tennis ball which I'm repeatedly bouncing off the wall. It's something that Dark taught me to do a little while ago. He had a horrible older brother who always used to pick on him. He told me that whenever his brother was irritating him, he'd go up to his room and throw a ball around. I don't know what it is about it; maybe it's something to do with releasing aggression that helps you. Either way, here I am, tossing a yellow fuzzy tennis ball up against my bedroom wall.

_Thud. Thud. Thud. Thud. Thud._

"Sheik, can you give it a rest?" a soft voice says from behind me. "You're making an awful lot of noise."

I catch the ball in my palms, halting its movement as I turn to find the speaker. My vision slowly pans to the right, only for me to find Zelda stood in the doorway. She's dressed down today. She wears a pair of pale bootcut jeans with a large baggy navy sweater. On her feet she dons a pair of brown fluffy slippers to keep warm, and her hair is pulled up into a lazy bun behind her. I can't help but notice the lack of jewellery, which isn't very Zelda. She isn't even wearing make-up. She's not one of those people that slaps on foundation until she looks like an orange, but she normally wears a little bit of make-up. She's not doing so well…

"Sure," I say, setting the ball down in front of me. "Sorry."

"That's alright," she replies, giving me a light smile as she slowly pads into the room. Her slippers make a light shuffling noise against the slightly faded carpet and the loose threads of her hair dance a little as she walks. After a few moments, she comes to a gradual stop just in front of me. She sits herself down delicately to my right. She then turns to look at me with a serious gaze. Here we go, she wants to talk about something important.

"What did Dad want?" she asks.

I sigh, scrabbling through my pocket and producing the letter that dad gave me. It's now folded into four and is slightly curved from where I was sat on it, but Zelda takes it none the less. I watch in silence as she unfolds it and her indigo blue eyes scan over the letter, taking in exactly what it says. Little bubbles of nervous energy pass through me as my mind rushes, trying to predict every possible reaction she could have.

"Anger management?" she asks.

I sigh, running my fingers through my hair, which is long overdue for a trim. "Yup."

"Is that because of everything with Link?"

"Yeah," I groan. "Can you believe it? It's not like I was in the wrong."

She looks down in silence for a few moments, not daring to say a word. Her indigo blue eyes won't meet my gaze. And that's suddenly when I realise that Zelda's taken Link's side too. I should have known, she begged me not to do it. I, of course, thought she was just being wimpy. But it turns out she was taking his side in all this? She thinks I'm in the wrong too! That's not fair, she's my twin sister!

"Oh my Goddess!" I blurt out. "You think I'm to blame too?"

"Well… yeah," she says quietly. "Can you blame me? You did kind of attack him…"

I feel my eyes widen in shock. I can't believe she'd take his side! I grit my teeth as I say: "I was only doing it to protect you!"

"I don't need protecting!" she replies, almost laughing. "Sheik, I'm fifteen! I'm a big girl now. I don't need you to take care of me!"

"Zelda, you're missing the point! He-"

"Link didn't go anything, Sheik!" she says, cutting me off. "He was told that he had to move back to the city with his family, and he was upset about that. Yes; he broke up with me, and yes; that hurt, but that doesn't mean he's the bad guy here. He couldn't handle a long distance relationship. That's not his fault, they're difficult. He tried Sheik, and I could see how much he hated what he was doing. Unfortunately, there was no other choice! He did what he had to do…"

"Wait… what?" I stutter, my mind still whirring about the first couple of sentences. "Link's going back to the city?"

"Yes!" she exclaims. "That's why we broke up!"

And that's when I feel all of it washing over my skin. Every moment since he pitched up in our drive way like a miniature thunderstorm begins running through my mind. The story begins to play out in my head, like I'm flipping through a picture book. He turned up in place he'd never been before. He didn't know anyone, he didn't fit in. He was jeered at and mocked by the local kids for his accent and city ways. He felt cut off, like he was lost an alone in a place where no one could understand him. His parents were too busy, too highly strung to realise that something was wrong.

And then things began to change for the better. He made friends with a group of the local kids. They taught him how to smile and laugh again. They went camping together, told deep secrets and they supported him when he needed it. He had a baby brother, who he vowed to protect and look after through everything. He met a woman who gave him confidence in himself and in his artwork. He began to gain pride as he showed those pieces of beautiful art to more and more people, and he learnt that the whole world wasn't against him. He even found a beautiful blonde girl who fearlessly pulled him head first into romance.

But then the dark clouds began to roll in as the bullies turned nasty. They took every piece of self-confidence that he had gained, and burnt it along with all his beautiful artwork. They laughed in the face of the flames, despite the fact that it was tearing him to shreds from within. Whilst all of this was transpiring, the money began to vanish from his family. Before he knew what was happening he was being pulled away from his happy country side fairy-tale. He lost everything, even the beautiful blonde girl… and then his best friend turned against him and mashed him to a bloody pulp on the dusty dirt tracks.

The goose bumps being crawling over my skin as a cold sweat seeps through my forehead. I've been so busy raging, wrapped up in a concoction of my own thoughts and emotions that I never even considered his reasons. I never gave him a chance to explain, I never heard his side of the story. It hadn't even occurred to me that maybe he was doing it for the best. This is the problem with me, my emotions get the better of me and I lash out. I act first, think later.

And now he's going, and he'll probably never come back after the way that I treated him. I wouldn't want to if I was in Link's position. So how the heck am I meant to put everything right? He won't listen to what I say right now, and he's not going to be around long enough for me to eventually apologise. For the first time in years, I suddenly feel so very powerless. I feel like there's nothing I can do now to put this right.

"Why is he going back to the city?" I ask, as the cogs in my mind begin to tick.

"His family can't afford to repair the barn whilst staying here, and raising three kids. They don't have enough money…" Zelda shrugs.

I nod, idea's floating around me as a plan begins to formulate. A small smile spreads across my lips as I say: "Hey Zelda, didn't dad always want to buy the farm next door?"

She frowns a little, turning to face me. "Yeah, but we don't have the money to buy the farm off the Faron's!"

"Exactly!" I say, giving her a wink as my small smile turns into a wide grin.

She tilts her head to the left, still highly confused. "Sheik, speak Hylian!"

"Now's not the right time…" I mumble; ignoring her. "Maybe Monday after school. That way we can have Dark, Saria and Midna here too to hear the good news!"

"Good news?" Zelda asks, now laughing a little. "What good news? Sheik, you're making no sense!"

"You'll understand later!" I reply, jumping up to my feet. "But for now, I need you to get Mum and Dad and bring them into the kitchen! I'll go find Mr and Mrs Faron."

She climbs up to her feet, still confused. "Why?" she asks.

"There's no time to explain!" I say. "Now GO! GO! GO!"

* * *

As the weekend passes; my plans are put into action. It takes a lot of organisation and co-ordination. We lay down ground rules, set up special bank accounts, make new orders and re-organise all the finances. Me, Zelda, our parents and Mr and Mrs Faron work tirelessly to sort it all out. We spend the whole weekend working on it. We stay up into the early hours of the morning drinking coffee and shuffling through paper work. And by Sunday evening, I'm just about ready to collapse from the exhaustion. I'm weary, tired, and jaded… but it was all worth it.

Link spends the whole weekend locked away in his bedroom. He returned from the hospital at around three in the morning on Saturday. He was completely worn out, meaning that he slept right through until two in the afternoon. The result of this; is that he doesn't hear my argument with my dad. He doesn't know about mine and Zelda's discussion, and he has no clue of our plans. He doesn't even leave his room; I think in all honesty he's too afraid to see me… I can't say I blame him. But at least it means that we can work without fear of him over hearing us. We want to keep it all a surprise until afterschool on Monday. We've agreed to tell everyone then.

I guess you could say that this is my way of apologising to Link. This is how I'm trying to put things right with him. Zelda has shown me just how wrong I was, how I acted too rashly. I should have listened to him; I should have at least tried to sort out the problem before getting angry. Maybe Dad was right when he said that I needed to see someone about anger management. Maybe it'll stop me from being so reckless in the future.

As Monday morning rolls around, Zelda and I find ourselves sat together in the school canteen. School hasn't even begun yet, it's only half past eight. At this time in the morning, the student body is mostly made up of sleepy, hung over, or borderline comatose teenagers with cups of coffee. Normally, Zelda and I pass through laughing at all the weary-eyed students, but today we're both joining them.

Zelda cradles a cup of tea, and I a black coffee as we collapse into the uncomfortable seats. Midna, Saria and Dark are already sat around our usual table as we take our places. They all greet us with chuckles and muffled laughs as I push my unruly blond hair back from my face. Zelda lets out a low, disgruntled sigh, letting her head drop and smack against the canteen table. Dark raises his eyebrows dramatically at the very sight of her.

"Wow… how drunk were you guys last night?" he asks.

I rest my elbow on the table top, using my arm to prop up my lazy head. "We weren't drunk. It's just that we barely got any sleep this weekend," I groan.

"Should I be worried?" Midna asks mockingly, earning a few giggles from Saria.

"I knew if you started going out with my brother you'd turn dirty minded," Zelda says.

"Puh-lease," I grin, "she's been dirty minded for years!"

Midna just rolls her eyes in response, flipping her long ponytail back over her shoulder. I feel a small smile pass over my lips as an idea springs up in my mind.

"Speaking of couples," I say, turning to Dark and Saria, "have you two made it official yet?"

"Ooh!" Zelda perks up. "Is there something going on between you two?"

"No!" Dark exclaims. "Sheik's over exaggerating!"

I give him a wink, turning to Midna and Zelda. I mouth, "they were practically kissing."

"ANYWAY!" Saria says loudly, changing the subject. "Where's Link this morning? Didn't he get on the bus with you guys?"

I turn to look at Zelda, hoping for some kind of clue as to what I'm supposed to say here. Does she want me to come clean? Am I meant to confess everything to the group? I suppose she hasn't even told them that her and Link have broken up yet, so it may be a tad awkward if I tried to. I try my best to read her calm indigo-blue eyes, but no message is coming through. I chew my lip as I take a deep breath, still deciding what to say.

"He was running a bit late this morning," Zelda says smoothly. "Luana's going to drive him in."

Midna laughs, "let's just hope it's not like the last time he was late to school!"

We all break out into chuckles. Saria and Midna begin a lengthy discussion about Link's little brother, remembering the day he was born. Link came into school looking like he'd just crawled out of a bush! That was a good day… I turn to Zelda, giving her a secretive smile to say thanks for covering my back. I know that I'll have to tell my friends eventually, but now's isn't the time. There are more important things to be done first.

"Hey," I say, taking a sip of my coffee. "Do you all want to come over to the B&B tonight after school?"

* * *

My hands are clammy, palms slick with sweat as I take the door handle in my grip. My heart is thumping hard against my rib cage, causing my pulse to race. I can feel the very bloody drumming in my ears as I carefully push open the back door, inviting all my friends into the kitchen. Link was the only one whom didn't get on the bus with us. He got a lift from Luana instead. As we make our way in; he's already sat at the kitchen table, looking rather concerned. He's surrounded by my parents, his parents, Tetra and Zelda.

I study him carefully, trying to read exactly what his body language is telling me. His vivid blue eyes dart left and right, trying to figure out exactly what's happening here. Every now and then his gaze turns to me. But as soon as he realises I'm watching him, he looks away again. He's still scared of me… His figure sits hunched, curled up away from the rest of his family and friends. And his hands are clasped tightly in front of him. He must be feeling really uncomfortable…

It takes us a few moments to pass over the formalities. Upon the request of my parents, I take all my friends coats and bags, putting them away in the closet. School shoes are all lined up neatly just to the left of the door, and everyone takes a seat around the large table. Dad makes everyone hot drinks, be it tea, cocoa, or coffee. And eventually, we all find ourselves sat around the same table looking at one another. I have no idea who's meant to speak first…

There's a thick, tense silence that lingers in the air. It's too still, too quiet, almost as if no one knows what to say. The giant elephant sits right in the middle of the table, drawing everyone's attention to the question that they're too afraid to ask. His immense weight causes the legs of the table to splinter and bend. Mugs rattle against the wooden surface, though they're quickly crushed to mere dust beneath the pads of his feet. I swallow hard, taking a sip of my coffee as I blink twice, trying to think of something to say. I look over at Link, but he's staring at his cup of tea like it's the most interesting thing in the world. He won't make eye contact…

"So," Dark mumbles, breaking the silence. "What's this all about?"

I look over to my father, hoping for some form of support. He gives me an encouraging nod, beckoning for me to speak first.

"Well…" I mumble, "above all else, I suppose this is really about Link."

Everyone turns to look at him, waiting for some sort of reaction. A loud fanfare erupts from the elephant's trunk, blowing directly into Link's face, though he barely even blinks in response. The very tips of his pointed ears are quickly turning red as he begins to chew on the inside of his cheek. I sigh; he's clearly not going to respond just yet.

I take a deep breath before continuing. "I can see now how I may have overreacted… ok, I did overreact. But I feel terrible about it, honestly, I never meant for things to get so out of hand. I'll admit that I'm too protective over Zelda. I sometimes forget the fact that she's 15 now; she's not a little kid. But I'm sorry, really truly sorry, and you have to understand that I'm doing everything I can to make it ok."

He falters for a few moments, a mixture of emotions spreading over his expression. I swallow hard, trying my best to understand what he's feeling. Is he going to accept my apology? Will he yell at me? Maybe he'll tell me it's just not good enough, that I'm not trying hard enough. I watch in silence as he runs the pads of his fingers all along his bruised collar bone. He's still deep in thought as I take a heavy gulp of coffee.

"Ok…" I say, putting the mug back down on the table. "I can see that some pathetic five letter word isn't enough to make up for what I did to you. But I'd like to explain the rest of it to you if you'll just hear me out. I know that your hospital treatment cost a lot of money, and I now understand how your family are in a tight place financially. That's why I've agreed to cover all costs for your hospital bills. Every last rupee is coming from my wallet, I promise."

I watch as he looks up a little, his lips slightly parted in surprise. But I'm not done yet… "Not only that," I continue, "but my dad has booked me in to see an anger management specialist called Doctor Renado. I've got ten weeks to try and tackle my problems. That's ten therapy sessions, and hopefully when I'm done I'll be able to stop myself from ever being so stupid again. The doctor says my first step is to apologise to you. Hence why I'm doing all of this."

I watch as a hurt expression spreads across his facial features. His jaw drops a little, eyes narrowing as he lowers his brow. "So all of this… this was all for your own sake?" he asks, speaking for the first time. "You apologise, play the good guy, and then I'm supposed to just walk out of here and act like everything's fine? You can't sort things out that easily! It's not as simple as that, Sheik! I know I'm not completely innocent but we can't just ignore this! Words only mean so much."

"You didn't let me finish…" I say, feeling his demeanour suddenly soften. He leans back in his chair a little, watching me expectantly.

I give my dad a quick nod, watching as he pulls a piece of paper from his jacket pocket. He unfolds it in silence, sliding that promising piece of paper across the surface of the table and over to Link. My friends all give me confused glances, a couple of them mouthing questions. I don't have the time to answer right now. Link greets me with a confused frown, carefully taking the paper in his hands and flipping it over to read the text. The air is tense and silent. No one dares to utter a word as Link's eyes scan the black ink printed on the page. I can practically feel the anticipation bubbling in the atmosphere.

"Lon Lon farm bed and breakfast?" He reads aloud, the confusion clouding in his blue eyes. I can't fight the smile that's spreading across my face right now. This is it; this is the moment that everything could change. I just hope he's happy about this.

Luana smiles warmly, scooting a little closer and wrapping her arm around her son's shoulders. "We've combined the businesses;" she says. "The B&B and the farm are now one!"

"Yup!" Dad says, leaning forward on the table. "I've wanted to buy that farm ever since we first moved here! We never had the money at the right time though… but it's always been the family dream. We can let the children who stay here go and pet the farm animals. We can offer tractor rides. We could even grow a maize maze in the summer!"

"W… wait…" Link stutters, the excitement bubbling around him. "Does this mean we can stay?"

I grin, "It looks like you're stuck with us, Link!"

Excited laughter and loud voices erupt throughout the room as people begin to celebrate. Hugs are exchanged and everyone tells the Farons how glad they are that they can stay. Dark and Link begin excitedly planning the future of the new business as Saria and Midna dance around with Tetra and Aryll. There's a new sense of prosperity in the air. It's almost as though we can all suddenly see something better on the horizon. It might take a long run to get there… but we know it's coming. Zelda gives me a big hug. She tells me how I did the right thing; how she knows everything will work out alright in the end. I don't know for certain if she's right, but I really hope so.

* * *

_A few years later…_

"Hurry up, Sheik!"

"For the love of Din, Zelda! Give me a chance!"

I flick the control stick of my brand new car into park. This was my shared 17th birthday present for me and Zelda from our parents. It's the best present they've ever given us if you ask my opinion! I got my driver's license about two months ago. It was annoying, because Zelda passed her test on her first try and enjoyed rubbing my face in it. But hey, I got there eventually! It's not a fancy car. It's only got five seats, but as long as Dark brings his car too, there's enough room for all of us.

I clamber out of the driver's seat door, slamming it behind me and locking up with a small clicking noise. I turn quickly, feeling the soft sea breeze ruffle my long blond hair. Over the past two years I've actually learned how to use styling products. I can't believe I used to just let my hair hang loose like that! I feel a small smile slip across my face as I study the vast belt of sparkling ocean that runs all along the sandy shoreline. I pull my sunglasses from my chest pocket in which they lie. It takes me a few moments to slip them over my eyes to protect me from the sun's brutal glare.

"My Goddess Sheik, you're such a poser!" Midna laughs, approaching me from behind and slipping her hand into mine. Her long chestnut hair blows a little in the breeze. When she was sixteen she decided that she was bored with red and proceeded to die her luscious locks. If I'm honest with you, I miss the natural colour, though I'm not going to tell her that! We both laugh a little, before making our way onto the almost deserted beach. The tiny golden grains of sand slip into the bottom of my trainers, making it really uncomfortable to walk. I roll my eyes, Midna was right, I should have worn sandals! I turn to look at her feet, encased in black flip flops with little red gems on the straps.

"There you are!" Saria exclaims as we greet the rest of the group. Her long green hair is pulled up into a bun to keep it out of the breeze, though I can already see individual hairs falling around her face. Today, she's dressed in a fitted green tank top with a pair of little denim shorts: and outfit that perfectly fits her figure. Dark's a lucky guy… the older Saria got, the hotter she got! I smile as I watch him wrap an arm around her shoulders.

Dark's one who hasn't changed at all. He never lost his floppy jet black fringe. He still wears guitar picks on black threads around his neck and leather jackets every day. He carried on playing the drums and the guitar, though now he's learning to play bass too. He's fortunate that Saria never tired of his musical ways. I think he's actually in a band now with a couple of guys from the town. I've never heard them play, though Saria says they're great.

"No worries," someone groans from behind, "I'll carry all the food!"

I turn around, only to find Link staggering towards us. His arms are laden with cool bags, large bottles and wicker baskets crammed with food. Finally; he reaches the picnic blanket that we're all now sat on. He lets all the bottles, bags and baskets fall to the floor with a clunk and a thud. A small ripple of laughter spreads throughout the group as he collapses in the empty space next to Zelda. She greets him with a quick kiss on the cheek.

"Very delicate!" she remarks.

"I do try," he replies with a cheeky crooked smile. He learnt that from me.

His large blue eyes scan the ocean filled horizon, taking in everything there is to see. His blond hair has grown a little bit since he first arrived, but not enough to make a real difference. His style has changed a fair bit though. Gone are the frayed jeans and thick baggy hoodies. He's now taken to wearing beige or brown trousers made of a softer material. Not only that, but Zelda invested the time to dress him up in white shirts and thin green V-necked sweaters too. Despite all the 'whipped' jokes that Dark and I made, the style stuck.

He grins as he scans our group of friends, the sunlight reflecting on his golden stubble. His gaze finally falls on Zelda, his girlfriend. It took him a little bit of time to make their relationship work, though. After the incident, which he and I have put behind us now, things were a little tricky. Even once I'd tried to resolve the situation; it took time to make things work again. Looking back at it now, I'm honestly ashamed of how I acted, but you can't change the past.

We went through a phase where he barely wanted to know me. He was happy to talk to our friends but avoided being alone with me or having our own conversations, no matter how hard I tried. As time passed, he became a little more lax. There was a period in which we were acquaintances. He laughed politely at my jokes and nodded when I tried talking to him, though I could tell his heart was never really in it.

It took about a year, but things began to change. Inside jokes began to resurface. He started playing pranks on me again, and we were able to hang out together even if it was just the two of us. I guess it's true what they say: friendship is an involuntary reflex. You can't decide who you want to be friends with, it just happens. It's something you can't control, but it's nice when you find someone you can really trust.

It was so much easier when it came to Zelda, though. The two of them were friends immediately after the break up. The rest of us found it pretty strange, but the two of them seemed really happy to stay as just friends. At least, that's what they told us. They got along just fine, hung out together plenty and they paid no heed to the fact that they were the only two singles in our group. That is, until six months after the incident. They walked into the canteen one morning hand in hand… and things just escalated from there.

"Gosh Sheik," Dark says, throwing a tomato up into the air and catching it in his mouth. "What are you thinking so hard about?"

"Yeah," Zelda says, as she pours the drinks out, handing them around. "You look a little bit gormless."

I turn to her, giving her a bright grin. Things between me and Zelda never really changed. She's my twin sister, my best friend, and the smartest girl I know. Though now, we don't stay up late eating jam sandwiches, and I no longer feel the need to attack anyone who upsets her. Our relationship changed as we grew up, though I think we're still as close as ever. Nowadays, instead of me making her jam sandwiches at night, she makes me waffles in the morning. Rather than chasing her down the garden, I give her lifts to school.

"Nothing," I reply, smiling goofily, "just how you'll always be my lil' Zelda!"

"Little?" She asks. "I'm older than you!"

I roll my eyes. "Only by four minutes!"

"And don't you forget it!" she quips.

Ok… so maybe we haven't changed that much…

"I hate to say it…" Link says, wrapping his arm around Zelda and squeezing her, "but I think she's my Zelda now, Sheik."

I laugh a little, raising my cup. "Well cheers to that!"

Everyone laughs a little, knocking their plastic cups together as Zelda crosses her arms pointedly. "Hey, I'm my own Zelda! No one owns me!"

"Amen sister!" Midna and Saria chorus.

"Sorry…" Link mumbles, blushing a bit as Zelda kisses his cheek.

So maybe we grew up a bit. Maybe some of us changed a little. Midna died her hair, Saria suddenly got hot and I apparently turned into a poser. We're a strange group of friends, and we've been through some weird stuff together. But I like to think that we haven't changed where it really counts. We all still care about one another, we're there for each other, and that's what really matters. A few years from now, we'll be going off to university or getting our first jobs. Maybe some of us will have families; maybe some of us will have big careers. But I like to think that sixty years from now, we'll all be crusty old people sat on the patio of a lovely house. We'll be retired, enjoying our golden years just sat in the garden playing bridge.

* * *

**Wow… wow… wow!**

**I don't even know what to say here. Writing this story has been the most fun I've had on FanFiction since I first got here! You have all been the most adorable readers ever; I can't even begin to thank you enough. I've never had so many reviews on a story, even taking into account that this one is twice the length of the others! It has been amazing, enjoyable, and even overwhelming at times… but I wouldn't have changed a single moment of it!**

**Ok, I have some wonderful people to thank! First of all, the brilliant reviewers! That's ShadowNinja1011, cormonde, Christmasloot, prettyguardianofhyrule, Bleachshowlover1, Not-Alone-Anymore, PrincesscharmingKnight, CreCra, Hanyoualchemist1, TheMysteriousDude, Franne, Neez, iranda20, SxDsX, tyfive, Zelink4eva123, Azulhada, dbzgtfan2004, Mrperson01, Joyma, Blaze, Guest, DestinyPrincess289, MrSnowmanJoe, TatlTails, forty2smurfs, ShadowMario3, ScootinJackMcCue, Daughter of Din, shhimaninja16, LEva114, LeilaEditer, Nuclear Chick, Screen, James Birdsong, GioSpy, Emzy, GameCivilization, zeldahope9, adventuregirl1, The Supreme, TechyZeldaNerd, ScarRhyn, Pitrus, burning book, TheBlueAlienRobotZombie, PrincessZelad450, SkYeLiMiT, lars, sslamajama97, zoozoo00, Sartana, The Drone, AuDaBeast, InLoveWithLink, Hylian Knight, Leina16, Alex908Papi, zeldalover272, Rawr I'm A Toaster, Drewwy101, erico637, LoveMadness, H3R0 0f T1M3 72296, Robin08, ghosthead8503, HenryTheWise, 1esor2, and AtticusFinch42!**

**Next up… the followers! Thanks to 321aussy, AiDaBeast, AmazonianGirl, BelieveInLov3, Bleachshowlover1, Cerebuswolf, Christmasloot, Courtney Gears, CreCra, DestinyPrincess289, Drewwy101, Franne, GameCivalization, GlamAngel3766, Grazzy Nol, H3R0 0f T1M3 72269, Hanyoualchemist1, HenryTheWise, KitaiKnight97, Kyogreperson, LEva114, LaLa2552, LadyLink98, Leina16, Lord Tuxedo, LoveMadness, Lun3rClockwork, Macartyjr2, MidnightQueen 99, Moon13Dreams, MrSnowmanJoe, Mrperson01, Not-Alone-Anymore, Nuclear Chick, Pitrus, PrincessZelda450, PrincesscharmingKnight, Rainbowchocobo, RheaTheWingedWolf, ScootinJackMcCue, ShadowHearted, ShadowMario3, ShadowNinja1011, Spaz-attack101, SxSsX, TechyZeldaNerd, TheBlueAlienRobotZombie, TheLegendOfLink, TheMysteriousDude, TheViloaBuddy, VioletterWriter, WaffleWarlord, XandyPants,Zelink4eva123, Zeyru, anaaaa.k, bubblegum12899, bruningbook, cormonde, cry in the darkness, d-sainstation-b, dbzgyfan2004, , ercio637, excaliburshadow, forty2smurfs, ghosthead8503, , iranda20, patrick5400, prettyguardianofhyrule, shadowgirl215, shhimaninja16, sslamajama97, trideity, tyfive, xCallMeAnonymous, xX Jason Smith Xx, zeldahope9, zeldarules64, zero123456123456, and zoldyckgril404!**

**And last, but certainly not least… to thank my amazing favouriters! That's 8Black-star8, AiDabeast, Alex908Papi, Azulhada, Bleachshowlover1, Courtney Gears, CreCra, DeMoN15s, DestinyPrincess280, Franne, GioSpy, Grassy Nol, Hanyoualchemist1, LaLa2552, LoveMadness, Macartylr2, Mi-Chan1111, Midnight Queen 99, MissShortPants, Mrperson01, Nint3ndozzzz, ObliviousNobody, Pearlshipperzoz, PrincesscharmingKnight, ScootinJackMcCue, ShadowMario3, ShadowNinja1011, SkYeLiMiT, Spaz-attack101, SxDsX, TheBlueAlienRobotZombie, The Supreme, Thunderblad14, Titan83, WaffleWarlord, ZandyPants, Zelink4eva123, Zeyro, anaaaa.k, burning book, cry in the darkness, é , ghosthead8503, , prettyguardianofhyrule, sllamajama97, xCallMeAnonymous, xX Jason Smith Xx, zeldahope9, zeldalover272, and zero123456123456!**

**Phew! That took a while! Sorry if there are any spelling mistakes or names missed off or appearing twice… it's all done by hand! I still need to thank the cover artist: Gwendybee, and my beta reader: Princess Zelda-figure skater!**

**I can't even begin to express how much writing this story has meant to me over the last few months. Your reviews and all the PM's that you've been sending me make my day ten times brighter! You've all been stars, seriously, and no words can thank you enough! I've loved every single moment of this, and I hope you'll join me when I write again! I'm afraid to say there won't be a sequel to this, but my next project, I don't know when it will be coming out, is called Festival of Hylia! And I would love it if you guys would join me for that too!**

**I guess there's nothing left for me to say here… but this has been so amazing, so thank you all!**

**Until next time, take my hand and let's run away to Hyrule together!  
****Nayru  
****xxx****  
**


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